The Next Grand Chapter
by cuteej4
Summary: Sequel to The Learning Curve. Set a few years after the end of it. Follow Lizzie and William as they go through the adventures of starting a family and dealing with parenthood together for the first time. See what the rest of the gang is up to and how they've changed as the years have passed. Part of the Lizzie Bennet Diaries universe.
1. A Return

_Summary: Lizzie and William are in charge of Thanksgiving and are getting ready for a full house._

* * *

 _Notes: And we're back! I hope you're ready for another long journey!_

* * *

 _Sunday, November 19, 2017_

Lizzie glanced up at the clock in the kitchen and let out a frustrated groan. There was so much to do but not enough time to do it in. Thanksgiving was four days away but Jane and Bing were set to arrive within the hour. She and William had been spending the weekend cleaning up the already clean apartment and making sure all sharp objects were out of reach from any tiny humans. Everything was ready for visitors but she still felt a small ball of anxiety looming in the pit of her stomach. She heard fast-approaching footsteps and turned around in time to see William emerging from the hallway, wearing a fitted pair of jeans but missing another important article of clothing.

"You're not dressed yet?" Lizzie asked in disbelief. William looked in her direction and flashed her a quick smile.

"My shirt's in the laundry room," William replied as he continued walking. "I'll be ready in a flash."

"I hope so," Lizzie said anxiously, raising her voice as he disappeared around the corner. "They're going to be here soon!"

She made the mistake of looking at the time again and frowned. Jane and Bing's plane should have landed already so it was only a matter of time before they would arrive.

"What was that?" William asked, walking back in as he pulled a black Henley on.

"They're going to be here soon," Lizzie repeated, just as anxiously. William raised his eyebrows as if he expected her to say something else but she didn't. He gave her a look and she knew he figured out something was up.

"And we're ready," William assured her with a smile. "The car is set up for them, both bedrooms are prepared for their choosing, the proper snacks have been purchased, and the gates are installed."

"I still can't believe you bought those gates," Lizzie said as her husband approached. She leaned back against the counter as he stopped before her, placing his hands on her hips.

"Better to be safe than sorry. We don't need any toddlers tumbling down those stairs. Besides, I'm sure they'll come in handy sooner or later," William said with a twinkle in his eye. When she furrowed her brows instead of cracking a smile like he expected, he brought a hand up and rubbed his thumb along the crease on her forehead. "What's wrong, love? You seem really tense."

"I'm…not really sure," Lizzie admitted, resting her hands on his biceps. "Maybe it's because we've been nonstop the past two days and it just feels like we're missing something."

"Well, let's figure it out," William said warmly. He gripped more tightly on her hips and Lizzie braced herself as he lifted her up onto the counter. She made room for him and he stepped between her legs before pulling her a little closer to the edge.

"We could have just used chairs," Lizzie mused.

"Overrated," William smirked before leaning in and kissing her cheek. "What is bothering you, Mrs. Darcy?"

"I thought you were trying to figure that out, Mr. Darcy," Lizzie countered.

"Two brains work better than one," William said. Lizzie nodded and gave him a conceding look. "I don't think it's about work. Your new building deal was finalized a while ago and the contractors are nearly finished."

"Actually, I'm pretty excited about the move. Packing and unpacking everything is going to take some time but I've got the whole month of December," Lizzie said, her voice lighter than before. "Besides, my work brain is decidedly out of service. We both have the week off and I fully intend to enjoy it."

"Even with a full house," William said. He saw a flash of something in Lizzie's eyes that he wouldn't have noticed if he wasn't looking directly at her. "It's not about that, is it? I know you've been looking forward to Jane coming for weeks."

"Nooo," Lizzie drew out. "I haven't seen my sister in forever. It's definitely not that."

"Are you worried about Thanksgiving itself?" William asked.

"I don't…Maybe?" Lizzie shook her head and frowned. William patiently waited for her to continue and rubbed his thumbs in circles along her hips. "Maybe it's because _I'm_ hosting Thanksgiving. I know I'll have help with everything and I'm excited to see everybody but we're not going anywhere."

"You're used to going home for Thanksgiving," William said simply.

"At least with the exception of Thanksgiving at Jane's two years ago. If I knew last Thanksgiving at that house was _the last_ Thanksgiving at that house…" Lizzie trailed off, a little despondent. She had to admit she wasn't exactly blindsided by her parents selling the house. She noticed the improvements they made whenever she came to visit and her dad talked about the possibility of it a couple times. They started renting out the empty rooms to college students and Lizzie thought that was the end of it. When Lydia got a job in San Francisco and moved in January, it put the plan back in motion. Mr. Bennet put in a request to transfer to Santa Rosa and it cut their travel time in half for when they wanted to visit Lizzie and Lydia. They found a great two-bedroom house and, with help from William and Bing, they put their own house on the market the next day. They got a generous offer within a month, moved out, and settled into their new place and town all before Lizzie's twenty-ninth birthday in March.

"Is it silly to miss a place you haven't lived for over four years?"

William shook his head. He took her hand in his and she smiled. "It's your childhood home. You have a lot of fond memories of that house. Even _I_ have a lot of fond memories. Some of my favorites, in fact," William paused and took a deep breath. "I still miss my childhood home, sometimes."

"I can imagine," Lizzie said softly, squeezing his hand.

"For a while, I had this dream where I would eventually buy the house from my parents and raise my own family there," William said.

"You wouldn't have had to fight it out with Gigi?" Lizzie asked with a knowing smile. "Pretty sure my sisters and I would duke it out. Well, maybe not Jane…"

"I don't know. Verbally, Jane could probably sweet talk you out of your favorite sweatshirt," William said.

Lizzie raised her eyebrow in defiance. "Never! I would have to be severely compromised to even _think_ about giving that up. It's far too comfortable."

"And you look good in it," William smirked.

"A feat rarely achieved when wearing bulky clothing," Lizzie added jokingly. She let go of his hand and wrapped her arms around his torso before she pulled him closer into him.

"Not so rare with you, love," William said dotingly. Lizzie broke out into a smile and leaned in to kiss him. It was her usual response whenever her husband would say something decidedly sweet. She lingered for a moment before placing one more kiss on his cheek.

"Anyway," Lizzie said emphatically to get them back on track.

"Gigi loved that house too but she told me once that she preferred a more modern style home for herself," William said.

"And you had a _Full House_ house," Lizzie joked.

"Victorian," William corrected, rolling his eyes at her. "Every time."

"It's funny every time! I grew up in the nineties. What do you expect from me?" Lizzie asked, flashing him a silly grin. William shook his head and chuckled.

"What matters the most is being surrounded by family during the holidays," William said simply.

"I think that's a good thing to focus on," Lizzie said as she started to pull away. "Especially since we've got guests arriving any minute."

"I'm sure we have a little more time than that," William smirked, skimming his hands along her thighs and making his intentions clear. There was no telling how much time they would actually have to themselves this week and she knew he was taking advantage of that.

"If this is another way to help relieve my stress, I'll have you know you already succeeded the first way," Lizzie said. William groaned a little before pushing out his bottom lip and pouting at her. He was playing dirty and going straight for the big guns. Despite her mind telling her they could use these last minutes for something else, her body wanted to play. Then again, her body always wanted to play when his hands were all over her. If she was going to give in, then she might as well tease him a little longer. "Seriously, Will? You know I do the pout so much better."

"I do. I also know you can only resist for so long," William said smugly. He leaned in closer and Lizzie could feel his warm breath skate across her skin. She was thankful for the long-sleeved top she wore as it hid the goosebumps that were quickly rising. "I know you far too well."

"Are you sure about that?" Lizzie hummed, running one finger down his chest. "Maybe I've been building up an immunity to your wooing."

"That's highly unlikely," William said lowly. He slid his hands to her back and toyed with the bottom hem of her shirt for a moment. Lizzie tried her best not to react as his hands moved under her shirt and up her back but she was all too familiar with what those hands could do. His lips twitched up when he heard her breath hitch and she tried one last time to get control back.

"And why would you say that?" Lizzie asked as she rested her arms on his shoulders. William moved in to kiss her but he stopped. He was so close that his lips just barely brushed across hers when he spoke next.

"Because _I'm_ never able to resist _you_ ," William said just above a whisper. Lizzie closed the gap and kissed him square on the mouth. Resistance be damned. He was right. He was usually right. Kissing her husband always put her in a better mood. She slid her hands into his hair and tightened her legs around him while their lips parted to deepen the kiss. A noise came from the back of her throat as he lifted her off the counter and turned them around to walk them out of the kitchen.

The couch was their inevitable destination. He could get them there with his eyes closed, as he had done a number of times in the past and was currently doing now. Lizzie broke off the kiss with a small grunt from the weight of William as they fell back on the couch. He nipped all along her jaw and made his way up to the spot behind her ear. She sighed happily, then dragged her hands down his back, feeling his muscles shift under her palms. She grabbed for the bottom of his shirt and pulled it up, revealing more of the torso that she could never get enough of. He stopped kissing her and pulled back, his eyes smoldering. He sat up on his knees and started to pull off his shirt as she pressed her hands to his warm skin. There was a knock at the door and they both froze. William slowly lowered his shirt back down and they exchanged a defeated look.

"I _told_ you there was no time," Lizzie practically laughed as they heard another knock, now hearing muffled voices accompanying with it.

"You can't blame me for trying," William said, sighing in defeat as he got off the couch. He helped Lizzie up and they both straightened themselves out.

She took one last look at the apartment to make sure everything looked ready and William watched her.

"We're all set. Everything is going to be fine," William said, grabbing her hand and giving it a squeeze as they both headed for the door.

"Fix your hair," she whispered and he quickly ran his free hand through it to smooth it down. He raised an eyebrow for approval and she nodded. There was another knock on the door but it was distinctly softer than the other two. They could hear Jane's muffled voice and both held back a chuckle. William unlocked and swung the door open wide to find Jane crouched down next to a small dark-haired toddler, fixing her blue and white dress.

"Hello there, Scarlett!" William smiled. Her hazel almond-shaped eyes lit up with glee and her face brightened as she ran from her mother's grasp to him.

"William!" Scarlett barely stumbled over his name. He bent down and picked her up to give her a hug as Jane stood back up and adjusted the bag on her shoulder.

"Ooh boy. You're getting so big!" William said, grunting dramatically as he adjusted her in his arms. "You're going to be taller than me soon!"

"Nooo," Scarlett giggled and rested her head on his shoulder.

"Hey Jane," William said warmly, giving her a one-armed hug. "How was the flight?"

"Hi William! It was uneventful and that's all a mother can ask for," Jane said before turning to Lizzie. "Hi sis! I'm so happy to see you!"

"Hi! I'm glad you made it safely," Lizzie grinned as they hugged each other. "Did I hear her right? She said his name so well! Better than two weeks ago, even."

"You did. She's also the one responsible for the last knock. I told her to wait but she was too excited to show you both," Jane said, smiling at her daughter. Scarlett smiled back and Lizzie could finally see reflections of Jane shine through. Bing's genes won out with Scarlett. No red hair to speak of but her hair was more of a dark shade of brown than black, especially in the sun. She inherited her hazel eyes from her father but they were expressive like her mother's. There was no mistaking the Bennet trademark pale skin as well as lips and a smile like Jane's.

"Where's the other half?" William questioned, bringing in the larger of the two suitcases.

"Still downstairs," Jane said, grabbing the other one. "Thank you for setting up the car. You have no idea how much help that was."

"It was no trouble at all, Jane. Whatever we can do to help. Speaking of, I'm going to go see if Bing needs any," William said before turning his attention to Scarlett in his arms. "I'm going to be right back. Do you want to say hi to your Auntie Lizzie?"

"Lizzie!" Scarlett started twisting around and reaching for her. He chuckled as he handed Scarlett over to Lizzie and she threw her little arms around Lizzie's neck. William gave a tender look to his wife before walking out and heading downstairs.

"Hi there! Did you miss me? I missed you," Lizzie said, her voice a little higher and sweeter.

"Miss you lots!" Scarlett replied, kissing her cheek and making a loud smacking noise with her lips.

"Thank you," Lizzie smiled.

"Daddy kiss Mommy like dat," Scarlett beamed. Lizzie held back her laugh and looked at Jane with one eyebrow raised.

"Does he? Isn't he sweet?" Lizzie said. She turned her attention back to Jane. "Do you want some water or anything? We have plenty in the fridge."

"Absolutely. Hold on. I think…I've got Scarlett's…," Jane trailed off. She started searching through her big bag for a moment before frowning. "Fudge. I think Bing still has Scarlett's drinking cup. Okay, we'll just get you a water bottle." She opened the fridge and pulled out a water bottle for herself.

"Mine!" Scarlett shouted and Lizzie was startled at the volume that came out of the small child. Jane closed the fridge door and gave her a stern look.

"Scarlett, we use our indoor voices and we ask politely," Jane said, her distinct mother voice coming out.

"Mine, puh-lease?" Scarlett asked in a quieter voice.

"Much better, sweetie," Jane said, brushing her fingers across her cheek.

She opened the fridge back up and found a half-sized bottle, putting it on the counter next to hers. She took Scarlett out of Lizzie's arms and placed her on the edge of the counter. She unscrewed the cap on the bottle and handed it to Scarlett, keeping an eye on her. "She took a nap for most of the plane ride so she's all refreshed for you."

"Of course she did," Lizzie mused. Scarlett finished drinking a moment later and smacked her lips comically while Jane grabbed a napkin and wiped her chin off.

"All finished?" Jane asked and Scarlett nodded. Jane took the water from her and put the cap back on. She picked her up from the counter and Lizzie led them to the living room so they could sit down. As soon as they did, Scarlett immediately slid out of her mother's lap and walked over to Lizzie. "She's been so excited to see you two since the party. Being on the 'big screen' wasn't enough for her."

"We've been excited to see you too, Scarlett," Lizzie said, helping her up onto the couch and into her lap. "We really wanted to go but it was impossible with our schedules and William was getting over a cold and everything else."

"Lizzie, it's fine. We totally understand. November is a busy month for both of us. Bing was able to fly over Mom and Dad and Lydia called right after you two. I doubt you would have gotten much visiting time. You know how Mom is," Jane said and Lizzie chuckled. They both turned when they heard a voice coming from down the hall.

"Alright, I'm ready for more time with my niece," William said, walking in with one more suitcase and a bag hanging from his shoulder.

"I don't think so, mister. I don't want to let go of this squishy cuteness," Lizzie replied, wrapping her arms around Scarlett and pulling her back in to hug her. She giggled and squirmed in her arms. William set the suitcase and the bag next to their other things before joining them on the couch.

"Alright, guys. No need to fight. There's one for each of you," Bing reprimanded from behind them. Lizzie and William turned their heads and grinned at the little boy in Bing's arms.

"Can't I be greedy? I love both my niece and nephew equally!" Lizzie said. Scarlett climbed out of her lap and ran back over to Jane, who picked her back up and set her in her lap. Jane shrugged at Lizzie and Lizzie stood up from the couch, walking over to Bing and Charlie. "But it seems my niece is done with me so it's Charlie time."

Charles Lee, affectionately nicknamed Charlie, was the younger of the Lee twins by three minutes. When Jane and Bing announced they were having twins, everybody's reactions were the same: total shock and absolute joy over the news. The stand-out one came from Mrs. Bennet, who screamed and flailed before promptly fainting. When they had a party to reveal the genders of the babies, everybody made sure Mrs. Bennet was sitting down just in case. The twins were born via C-section on November seventh after Jane went into early labor. Even with such short notice, William arranged flights to New York for the entire family to give extra support. Scarlett and Charlie spent their first days in the NICU. While Scarlett was brought home after four days, Charlie still had breathing issues and he stayed for almost two weeks. He was finally able to go home just in time for his first Thanksgiving.

While Charlie was the smaller of the twins, he had no lingering health problems. He looked more like his father with his dark hair, almond-shaped eyes, and pouty lips. He did, however, inherit the same paleness as his mother along with, surprisingly, her blue eyes and a few freckles on his nose and cheeks. He and his sister were both beautiful unique combinations of their parents.

"Hey, Charlie," Lizzie said warmly, smiling at him. He simply buried his face in his father's neck and Bing chuckled, rubbing his back.

"He's still waking up. He didn't get as big of a nap as his sister. Give him some time," Bing said.

"Of course. I've got all week to get on his good side," Lizzie replied. Being on opposite sides of the country made it more difficult for William and Lizzie to bond with their niece and nephew. Scarlett was the natural entertainer of the two and loved to play with anyone who was willing. Charlie generally took more time to open up to new people and with visits few and far between, Lizzie and William were practically new people to him. He had a giant appetite for books and would usually be found with one. Even if it was far above his reading level, he liked to pretend he could read them.

Bing glanced over at Jane and dug through his shoulder bag. "Babe, I have Scar's cup. It rolled over to Charlie's side."

"Oh good. I was looking for it," Jane said, sounding relieved. She got up from the couch and adjusted Scarlett over to her hip.

"More, puh-lease?" Scarlett looked at her mom.

"Of course, sweetie! Daddy has it," Jane said, getting the cup from him. She handed it to Scarlett and she started drinking right away, seemingly content.

"Why don't we get you guys settled in—?" William suggested, getting up from the couch and taking his place next to Lizzie.

"Right! I'm sure you've got some things to do before the show tomorrow," Lizzie added. One of the reasons why Jane and Bing had come so early was because Jane had a clothing line that was being featured in a fashion show. Why it was on a Monday night and right before Thanksgiving Lizzie had no clue, but she wasn't going to question the fashion world. She was just happy that Jane was finding so much success with her job.

"I confirmed most of the stuff on the plane," Jane assured her before adding-, "then again, I could probably make another phone call or two."

"Both guest bedrooms are set up so you can take the one down the hall or the one downstairs," William offered. Jane and Bing exchanged a look that seem to communicate whole sentences.

"Downstairs is probably best," Bing said. "We can't guarantee these two might not wander into your room at some point but it will certainly help to be on another floor."

"We'll be on our best behavior," Lizzie joked, nudging William's hip. He snorted and smiled at her silly grin.

"I can't believe you bought gates, Darce," Bing said, unlocking it as Charlie tightened his hold on him. William and Lizzie each grabbed a suitcase and they headed downstairs.

"They'll get plenty of use out of them eventually, Bing," Jane said slyly.

"That's what I said!" William laughed, leading them to the bedroom. "Besides, we wanted to make sure the apartment was a toddler-safe zone. We also need to give you a proper tour. You haven't seen all the changes!"

As William started telling Bing about the renovations to the apartment and everything available to them downstairs, Jane set Scarlett on the bed before they went back upstairs to get the rest of their bags. It looked like a lot to Lizzie, but she'd only packed for herself and William before. Traveling with kids was on a whole different level that she couldn't relate to yet.

"You know," Lizzie said after a while-, "you really sounded like Mom earlier with that comment about the gates."

"Yea… I pretty much accepted that fate as soon as I became a mother myself," Jane paused before a smile slowly spread across her face. "But I wouldn't change a thing."

* * *

The rest of their day together was spent catching up with each other. Jane offered to help Lizzie with dinner while William and Bing kept the twins occupied. Bing took up his usual job of reading to Charlie while William was somehow coerced by Scarlett to play with her dolls. Jane lost count on the number of times Lizzie snuck glances at William playing with her. She could see a glimmer of something in her sister's eyes, especially when he started using a high-pitched voice that made a short appearance in her videos a number of years ago.

Jane artfully made the effort to include Lizzie and William in the nightly routine of getting the kids to bed. Lizzie helped with bath time and had a surprisingly good time, despite how soaked she was in the end. William had the easier job of helping the kids into bed and observing Bing and Jane's story time. They were exhausted from the day and asleep before the story was half over. Out of the corner of Jane's eye, she saw Lizzie and William quietly head back upstairs. Once the twins were securely tucked in and kissed goodnight, Bing and Jane went to return to their hosts.

"I know what you're doing," Bing said lightly, sliding an arm around Jane's waist.

"I have no clue what you're talking about," Jane replied. She smiled as innocently as she could and he laughed lowly, kissing her on the cheek.

* * *

 _Monday, November 20th_

The high-pitched beeping from the alarm slowly dragged Lizzie and William out of their sleep. William rolled over and hastily turned it off before returning to his spot curled behind Lizzie. He slid his arm around her waist and pulled her in a little closer.

"You set the alarm out of habit again, didn't you?" Lizzie mumbled.

"Mmhmm," William hummed, the noise vibrating a little against the back of her neck. "Sorry."

"Any chance we could attempt to get more sleep?" Lizzie asked, turning around and burying herself against the warm body of her husband. "Isn't that what days off are for in the first place?"

"They are," William paused. "But you and I both know our bodies are used to waking up at this time."

"We need a proper vacation so we can sleep in," Lizzie grumbled in defeat.

"I'll work on that," William said. He started brushing the tips of his fingers along her spine and she hummed in content.

"As long as you give me more than a week's notice," Lizzie cautioned, making William chuckle. "Paris was amazing but it was hell rearranging my schedule."

"I promise to do better next time," William replied, kissing her forehead.

"I'm holding you to that promise," Lizzie said. William had taken Lizzie to Paris for their second anniversary in February. She had had a hunch he was planning something for a couple weeks before the trip. Of course, she thought it was going to be more along the lines of a big party and flying in family. Then again, she had managed to surprise him with an extended weekend trip to Santa Barbara for his thirty-second birthday last November. He must have been itching to return the favor and she loved his increasing spontaneity within their marriage. He revealed it over breakfast the week before they were scheduled to leave by sliding the flight information over to her. After a busy week of late work nights and last-minute packing, he whisked her off to Paris for eight days. When it wasn't raining, they visited every tourist spot possible and took the ridiculous pictures imaginable. At least, ridiculous according to Lydia but sweet and a couple frame-worthy ones to the two of them. Predictably, when it _was_ raining, they spent it naked and between the sheets.

"Do you think everybody's up yet?" Lizzie asked through her yawn. "I know Jane said she'd be gone most of the day because of the show."

"It's possible. The time change might throw the twins off. Plus, it's a new place to sleep," William said. "Though Bing showed me a whole slew of pictures of them asleep in the weirdest places."

"Did you see the one of Scarlett asleep in the closet?" Lizzie asked.

"Yea," William chuckled. "I'm pretty sure every parent has pictures of their kids asleep in odd positions. I seem to recall one of you face-planted in a cake. Not very becoming of a Darcy, I must say."

"Ugh. I was one! Sugar was not in my regular diet," Lizzie said defensively. William laughed and pulled her in, trying to kiss her. She moved her face away from him and frowned. "You're mean."

"You know I'm teasing," William said lowly before making eye contact with her. "I love you."

"Whatever," Lizzie grumbled before her face relaxed. "I love you too."

"I know what will make you feel better," William said, the corners of his lips twitching up.

"Waffles and bacon?" Lizzie asked hopefully.

"Well, yea," William started. "But I was thinking more along the lines of you and me and a hot shower."

"We're _supposed_ to be on our best behavior," Lizzie narrowed her eyes at him.

"Firstly, I don't remember agreeing to such a thing. Secondly, the bedroom door is locked and the bathroom door _can_ be," William replied. "Besides the walls are thick and the running water tends to muffle our, shall we say, enthusiasm."

Lizzie snorted at his choice of words and swatted at his bare chest. "You're terrible."

"That may be so," William said. "But the way I look at it, we're up earlier than we need to be so we might as well make the most of it."

Lizzie watched him for a few moments as he waited for her answer. She knew she was going to say yes and he knew she was going to say yes but it was all about her actually saying it out loud. She slowly rolled out of his grasp to the edge of the bed, then stood up and started walking to the bathroom before taking one last glance at him over her shoulder.

"Aren't you coming?" Lizzie asked smoothly.

"Not before you," William said cheekily. He scrambled out of bed and she squealed with laughter as he chased her the rest of the way into the bathroom, slamming the door behind them.

* * *

William left Lizzie still getting ready in the bathroom to make some coffee and get started on breakfast. He sauntered down the hallway and a voice steadily grew louder. He turned the corner and spotted Bing stretching in the living room. William continued to the kitchen to fill a tea kettle with water and put it on the stove before heading to the living room.

"Morning, Bing," William said, approaching him as he switched stretching positions. "Are you doing yoga?"

"Morning," Bing replied brightly. "I am."

"Since when did you start doing that?" William asked with a tone of surprise.

"It was suggested by some friends when Jane was pregnant. We tried it together a handful of times," Bing said, moving into a downward dog pose. "Things got a little busy but then we picked it back up after she had the twins. She wanted to get back in shape and she said it really helped. She's really good at it when she does it, but I do it nearly every morning. I recommend it."

"I don't know if that's, uh, really my thing," William said hesitantly.

"Doesn't Pemberley Digital have a yoga instructor on retainer?" Bing asked.

"Yea…" William said, rubbing the back of his neck. Bing let out a single burst of quiet laughter.

"It's really quite stress-relieving, Darce," Bing said knowingly. "Don't knock it till you try it."

"Right…" William caught something out of the corner of his eye and saw Charlie sliding off the couch. "Morning, Charlie. I didn't see you there."

"Hi," he replied quietly, giving William a tiny smile.

"Charlie likes to watch Daddy do yoga," Bing said, turning his head and smiling at his son. "Don't you—?"

"Yep!" Charlie said happily.

"You joining me for the last few, Charlie?" Bing asked and Charlie nodded. He moved out of his current position to get into a basic pose that his son knew. Charlie practically threw himself on the floor right next to him and mimicked what his dad was doing. "There you go!"

"Daddy flexbable," Charlie said. William bit the inside of his cheek to keep from chuckling while Bing cleared his throat, demonstrating how to get into the next position.

"It's flexible, buddy," Bing said, saying it slowly while Charlie concentrated on the next pose.

"Flex-uh-bull," Charlie repeated once he was happy with his pose. Bing broke out into a grin, leaned in closer towards his son, and held out a hand for him. Charlie excitedly high-fived his father.

"Good job, Charlie!" Bing said proudly before glancing to William. "Just taught him that trick."

Charlie's smile grew wider and a tiny dimple showed on his left cheek, another trait he inherited from Jane. It was the biggest smile William had seen from him since they arrived and he couldn't help his own smile from breaking through.

"Where are Jane and Scarlett?" William asked, walking back to the kitchen while Bing and Charlie got into one last pose. He grabbed the French press from the counter and coffee grinds from the fridge. "I bought some Cheerios for the kids."

"Thanks! Jane got up a little earlier and took Scarlett with her to the venue," Bing said, stretching out the kinks in his body. After he was done, he took Charlie's hand and they both started walking to the kitchen.

"Really? Won't she be pretty busy?" William asked as he took the whistling tea kettle off the stove.

"She will be, but Scar absolutely loves going to work with her," Bing said. "She's like Mommy's little helper. Plus, everyone fawns over her so there's always someone watching her."

"That's convenient," William said, pulling out a bowl and box of Cheerios. Bing picked up Charlie and sat him down in his booster seat on the stool before fixing his cereal.

"She takes Charlie too sometimes," Bing said, rubbing his shoulder. "He wanted to stay with me today. He's a little tired."

"Well, he can rest all he wants to here," William said, taking two mugs out of the cupboard. He looked over his shoulder at Bing. "Would you like some coffee?"

"That would be great," Bing said and William grabbed one more mug. "Is Lizzie up?"

"Yea. She should be out in a few minutes," William said, preparing both his and her coffee.

"Do you mind if I grab the milk?" Bing asked uncertainly.

"Help yourself to whatever you need this week. No need to ask," William said. He pulled out a spoon from the drawer and set it down next to Charlie's bowl of cheerios.

Bing chuckled and then grabbed what he needed out of the fridge. Before he could pour the milk, Bing's phone began to buzz. He pulled it out of his pocket and showed William that Jane was calling.

"Hey Darce, could you help Charlie out?" Bing asked. "This might take a bit."

"No problem," William said, walking over to Charlie's side. Bing picked up and silently mouthed 'thank you' to him as he walked out of the room. "All right, Charlie. Ready for breakfast?" William asked as he poured in some milk and Charlie looked up at him, smiling big.

"I like my cereal," Charlie said, clumsily grabbing for the spoon.

"You like your cereal?" William asked as he put the carton away. He grabbed his coffee and returned to Charlie's side.

"I like my jammas," Charlie added, looking down. There were polar bears all over his pants and one big one on his shirt.

"They're pretty cool pajamas," William agreed, leaning against the counter on his forearms. Charlie very slowly started to eat one spoonful at a time as William took sips of his coffee. A little bit of milk coated Charlie's bottom lip and William went to grab a napkin. "Need any help?"

"I got it," Charlie said, wiping away the milk with the back of his hand. William snorted as he wiped his hand on his pajamas before he kept on eating. Lizzie walked in a moment later and she smiled at the two of them before grabbing her mug.

"Thanks, Will," Lizzie murmured, sidling beside him and kissing his cheek.

"No problem," William smiled at her. "Bing's in the other room on the phone with Jane. She's at the venue with Scarlett."

"Thank you for catching me up," Lizzie said before glancing to Charlie. "Hey Charlie, what are you eating there?"

"Little ohs!" Charlie replied brightly before lifting up a spoon with a few Cheerios on it. "See?"

"That looks delicious," Lizzie remarked.

"You have some?" Charlie asked, trying to offer her his bite. She shook her head and he brought his hand down, hitting the edge of the bowl and spilling his cereal all over the counter. He luckily got nothing on him but his cereal did not survive.

"Whoops!" Lizzie gasped as William started cleaning it up. He was already prepared with napkins and she was impressed at how quickly the spill and excess cheerios were wiped away. Charlie's lip quivered for a moment and Lizzie jumped into Aunt Mode, getting down to his level. "It's okay, sweetie. I drop things all the time. Just last week, I broke a plate after it slipped out of my hands."

"Really?" Charlie asked while William washed out the bowl and put it in the dishwasher.

"Really, really," Lizzie said, repeating the word for emphasis. She brushed a finger across his cheek in anticipation for any rogue tears but it looked like she had successfully prevented them. "It happens to everybody."

"It's true. I dropped my toast butter side down on the floor a few days ago," William said, leaning on his forearms and offering Charlie a smile. "I was sad until your Aunt Lizzie made me another piece."

"I like toast," Charlie said, matter-of-factly.

"Yea? I make a pretty good piece of toast. Do you want some?" Lizzie asked. Charlie perked up a little and nodded his head. "With jam or butter?"

"Both?" Charlie said in a questioning tone.

Lizzie grinned at him. "One piece of toast with jam _and_ butter, coming right up."

Lizzie left Charlie in William's hands while she started to work on his toast. Bing came back in a few moments later, tucking his phone into his pocket.

"Everything is back in order. Good morning, Lizzie!" Bing said.

"Morning," Lizzie replied over her shoulder. "Would you like some toast? I'm making Charlie some."

"What happened to his cereal?" Bing asked, puzzled by the missing bowl.

"There was a small incident. It's all under control now," William said, looking down at his nephew. "Isn't that right, Charlie?"

"Auntie Lizzie making me toast, Daddy," Charlie said excitedly, stumbling over his words a little. "With jam AND butter!"

"Is she? That sounds pretty good. I wouldn't mind having a piece as well," Bing said, sliding into the seat next to Charlie.

"I'll make some toast for everybody then," Lizzie said, her eyes flicking over to William. "Bacon and waffles tomorrow instead?"

"Sounds good. I'll make some scrambled eggs," William offered, kissing her shoulder as he reached for the pan beside her. "Bing?"

"You don't have to go through this trouble," Bing said.

"Bing, come on. We're not making a five-course meal. It's a pretty standard breakfast on the weekend and days off. Switch up the carb staple with waffles or a bagel," William said, grabbing eggs from the fridge. "You do the same thing when we visit."

"So, Bing," Lizzie started. "Why did Jane call?"

"Oh. She wanted to iron out some details for tonight, get the usual pep talk from me. You know how it is," Bing said. "She should be home by 4 so we can all get ready to go."

"Until then?" William inquired.

"We have nothing planned so we're all yours for the day," Bing said, rubbing Charlie's back.

"Well, what do you say about a trip to our favorite bookstore? I could personally spend hours there –"

"Which she has," William butted in.

"—and there's a great children's section," Lizzie said, narrowing her eyes at William. "You have too, mister!"

"Guilty. There's a lot of nooks and crannies so it takes a while to find her," William teased. Lizzie scoffed and pushed against his shoulder. "Alright, she's usually the one dragging me away from the first edition collection. One of us usually leaves with at least a book or two."

"They opened another location a few years ago," Lizzie said, taking butter out of the fridge. "Sometimes he lets me go to both on the same day."

"Lets you?" Bing asked, raising an eyebrow as William laughed.

"Don't phrase it like that!" William shook his head. "You have to go through Golden Gate Park to get from one to the other so it's a bit of a walk. If our arms aren't already full of books, then we'll go. I don't think we'd have time for both today."

"We try to limit our visits to only a few times a year. There's only so much free space left on the shelves in the library," Lizzie said forlornly.

"Well, I think he will like either," Bing said, glimpsing at his son. "Do you want to go to a bookstore, Charlie?"

"What that? Bookstore?" Charlie asked.

"It's like our library but we get to take the books home forever," Bing explained. "You don't have to say goodbye to them."

"No goodbyes?" Charlie asked, perking up.

"We keep them always," Bing smiled. "Just like the ones Auntie Lizzie and Uncle William gave you for your birthday."

"I like those," Charlie said as he started to wiggle in his seat. "Let's go!"

"Slow down there, little man," Bing said. "We have to eat first and then get dressed."

"I wait," Charlie said, resting his arms a little awkwardly on the edge of the counter. Lizzie and William exchanged smiles at the sight in front of them. Bing really had a handle on fatherhood and it was kind of incredible to watch him in action. William became lost in thought for a moment. He wondered how good of a father he would be. Of course, he raised Gigi from the time she was a budding teenager but he had little experience with babies. All he knew was that he had the perfect partner to raise children with and he would wait until she was ready.

"Are you planning to fry those eggs?" Lizzie asked, elbowing him gently.

"Oh sh-…shoot," William corrected himself, turning back to the eggs.

"Toast?" Charlie asked, watching Lizzie as she finished his piece up.

"All ready for you, buddy," Lizzie grinned, putting the plate in front of him. "Enjoy!"

* * *

The trip to the bookstore was even more fun for Charlie than all three of them expected. Exploring every corner of the store ate away all of their morning but nobody was complaining. Bing occasionally checked in with Jane to make sure everything was running smoothly and to talk to his daughter for a few minutes. Lizzie got the opportunity to bond with her nephew even more when he dragged her to the children's area and asked her to read to him. He climbed into her lap and he giggled every time she used a different voice. They were so caught up in the story that they didn't even notice William and Bing take a picture with their phones.

When they finally called it a day at the store, everybody left with at least one book in their hands. They grabbed some sandwiches at a nearby deli and they ate lunch in Golden Gate Park, letting Charlie nap for a bit and enjoying the sunny weather but glad they all brought jackets when the wind picked up. Bing let Charlie pick where he wanted to go after showing him a map of everything available within the park.

They spent the next couple hours at the California Academy of Sciences Museum. Lizzie and William had been there a handful of times, but never with a young child. It was like they were experiencing it again for the first time, watching Charlie get so excited over the interactive exhibits. He was worn out by the time they left and Bing had to carry Charlie the last few blocks to their car. William and Lizzie offered to keep an eye on the sleeping toddler so Bing could jump in the shower. Jane and Scarlett came home shortly after with both of them looking a little tired but still happy.

It was a flurry of excitement as everybody got ready for the night's festivities. Lizzie was especially excited that Jane had given her another original designed just for her. It appeared that she took care of everybody in some way for her show. William was given a tie to wear that complimented Lizzie's outfit while Scarlett was wearing a miniature version of her mother's dress. Bing and Charlie were both wearing matching suits but Charlie was sans tie after fighting with it too many times.

The fashion show was the flashiest one Lizzie had been to yet. There were a handful of designers showing off their lines but Jane was the featured designer. The company she worked for lined it up so that she would close the show and everybody was anticipating it. The crowd hushed as soon as the lights dimmed and the flair immediately died down. The stage was lit with simple lights to enhance the looks of the models and Lizzie grinned. She knew her sister had a hand in making sure that all the focus was completely on the clothes. Just as the show ended, Jane came walking out to join the models. William and Bing put Scarlett and Charlie on their shoulders as the crowd gave a roar of approval.

Jane visibly relaxed as soon as the show ended. She went straight to her family and gave Bing and her kids' big hugs. As fun as many of the after parties sounded, Jane turned down every invitation as politely as she could. She made quick rounds with the biggest names, was praised for her designs, and even had a few different enticing job offers. At one point she whispered to Lizzie that she was looking forward to snuggling with her kids after such a long day. Lizzie couldn't blame her for wanting to slip away. She could tell Charlie was getting more uncomfortable by spotting him hiding his face in Bing's shoulder. Scarlett, on the other hand, was hamming it up for anyone who was giving her attention. Lizzie stopped her from playing with her dress and flashing people more than once.

Once going home was mentioned as an option, everybody readily agreed and snuck out as easily as they could. Bedtime was a bigger ordeal than the night before with the twins ripping off their clothes as soon they walked in the door. Jane and Bing apologized and gave their hasty goodnights, retreating downstairs with their nearly naked kids. Lizzie and William chuckled at the trail of tiny toddler clothes and picked up after the twins, folding the clothes and leaving them on the chair nearest to the staircase. William sighed once they were done and smiled at her, putting an arm around her as they walked to their bedroom together.

* * *

 _Tuesday, November 21st_

No matter how long Lizzie and William had lived in San Francisco, foggy days always made them feel a little lazy. When the fog was mixed with gloom and rain and it fell on a non-work day, there was almost no chance that they would make it out of the apartment. Whether it was spent catching up on the DVR, finishing projects around the house, or staying in bed, it was almost always together.

Today was no exception to that rule. While feeling a little sluggish from the night before, Jane and Bing were still ready for the weather. Living on the East Coast provided a number of snow days for them and they were experts on entertaining the little ones when stuck inside. After breakfast, Lizzie and William were ready to help out. Lizzie discovered just how prepared her sister was with activities for Charlie and Scarlett. By the afternoon, the twins were exhausted and ready for naptime.

"Ready for a break?" Bing asked tiredly as they all took a seat in the living room.

"I love playing with them, but yes," Lizzie said emphatically. "I _am_ impressed with everything you guys come up with to keep them from going crazy."

"You have to think on your feet with those two," Jane said knowingly. "One can slip through your fingers while you're playing with the other one. Scarlett is especially good at that."

"Double trouble," William joked.

"Mmm. It helps that the fashion show tired them out enough from yesterday," Jane said.

"You must be thrilled though. You don't have to worry about it for the rest of the week!" Lizzie smiled at her.

"Exactly! I can finally relax! Especially with the extra hands. Thank you so much," Jane said, taking a deep breath of relief. Lizzie and William glanced at each other and they knew they found their opening for a plan they had been developing.

"Speaking of extra hands," William started, all too obvious.

"When's the last time you and Bing went out?" Lizzie asked. "Without the twins?"

"Oh…um," Jane frowned, looking over at Bing. He was wearing the same expression and started chuckling when he saw they were both trying to figure it out. "It's been a while."

"We had those dinner reservations last month," Bing pointed out. "But then Scarlett got sick, then Charlie got sick, so we had to stay home and to take care of them."

"Oh! We went to that party back in June!" Jane offered.

"You don't have a nanny for them?" William asked. "You're both constantly on the go."

"We get the occasional babysitter," Bing said. "We may go that route once they start school but we're doing okay for now."

"Okay, it's decided. You two are going out. Go to a movie—"

"We haven't been to a movie since before the twins were born! I have no idea what's out now," Jane interrupted and Lizzie's eyes widened. Granted, Lizzie and William were busy people and didn't regularly go to the movies but they were more up to date than them.

"Then it's time you go! That new Thor movie is out," Lizzie offered. "Eye candy for you and action for Bing."

"Thank you for being so blatant, Lizzie," Bing laughed while William rolled his eyes playfully at his wife.

"You're welcome," Lizzie grinned. "I'd say go to a play but Lydia told me The Orpheum is completely sold out. That Harry Potter play is on tour and it's only here for two weeks."

"It was in New York last month and it apparently broke records with how quickly tickets sold," Jane said. "Lydia's been busy. Will we see her at all?"

"Yea. The theater is dark for Thanksgiving and she switched shifts with someone so she has Saturday off to visit some more. She's really looking forward to twin time," Lizzie said. "But don't change the subject. We're thinking of you! Go to a movie and go out to dinner or even dancing. Basically, just go out and don't come back until late."

"We'll take care of the twins. We'll get them dinner and cleaned up and in bed at a reasonable hour," William said.

"It sounds like a really great idea, babe," Bing said, already convinced. "You've been working around the clock on top of taking care of the twins and you really do deserve a night off. William and Lizzie are the best babysitters we could ask for. Charlie has warmed up to them so quickly and we already know how Scarlett feels about them."

"True…" Jane said, chewing on her bottom lip.

"Really, Jane. You're on all the time. What's one night off?" Lizzie asked, trying to persuade her sister.

"You two are really sure?" Jane asked skeptically.

"Absolutely. We adore them and we would love to take care of them so you could go out and have some fun," Lizzie said.

"Worse comes to worse, we can always call you," William offered.

Jane nodded. "A night out sounds really good. Let's do it."

* * *

It took a while to actually get Jane and Bing out of the apartment. After assuring William and Lizzie what the twins would and wouldn't eat, going over where their plans for the evening, and giving the kids a few more hugs, they finally left. William took on the task of keeping the twins occupied while Lizzie cooked dinner.

Being inside all day was finally catching up with the kids and they had energy to spare. Not used to the squeals of little kids, Lizzie would wince almost every time. William was dealing with the balls of energy the best he could. The three of them had a tea party that Scarlett led but it didn't last too long. Pretty soon, they had taken to attaching themselves to his legs and asking him to walk around. It was a game that was slowly exhausting him, but it was the best way to keep them out of the kitchen.

"Dinner's just about ready," Lizzie said, watching him make another round around the apartment with the temporary attachments on his legs.

"Oh good," William said, sounding all too relieved. He stopped for a moment and looked down to see two pouting children.

"Again, puh-lease!" Scarlett said, tightening her tiny arms around his leg.

"As long as your brother wants to go again," William said. Scarlett and Charlie looked at each other and William could see the connection between them. Bing said they could have whole conversations with each other with very few words. When they were babies, they would babble and coo at each other in such a way that it seemed like they were really talking to each other.

"One more," Charlie said, smiling and baring his teeth to William. He chuckled and ruffled Charlie's hair before taking a deep breath.

"One more time and then we should be able to eat," William said, giving in.

"And I'll help you with those tiny growths off your legs," Lizzie quipped from the kitchen. William looked at her and refrained from rolling his eyes at her joke falling flat.

"Thank goodness I go bicycling so often," William said, taking a breath.

"I will always agree with that statement," Lizzie grinned at him with a wink. She watched him take off again and he grunted the first few times when he lifted each leg. It only made the twins giggle more as he made his around the apartment. Lizzie passed him as she went to set the table and slyly patted his butt. He glanced over his shoulder and raised an eyebrow at her but she gave away no emotion.

"Alright, the Uncle Ride is over for the night," William stopped near the counter and looked down at the toddlers. "It's time for dinner."

Lizzie came over and took Scarlett off one of his legs while William picked up Charlie after he let go and stumbled off his foot. They set them down at the table and put on the bibs that Jane had left out for them.

"I have a feeling these will come in handy," William said, glancing at his wife. "Considering you decided to make spaghetti."

"Pasgetti! Pasgetti!" Charlie and Scarlett chanted. Lizzie and William looked at each other in amusement.

"It was on Jane's list of foods they like, I know you're a fan of it, and I make it quite well," Lizzie said with a smug smile.

"I know you do. Just remember that when we're cleaning tomato sauce off the ceilings," William said.

"Oh ye of little faith. I promise you there won't be any food on the ceiling," Lizzie said confidently.

* * *

In all technical terms, Lizzie kept her promise. Not a drop of spaghetti sauce or stray pasta noodle made it to the ceiling or the walls. The table and the floor, on the other hand, had seen better days. She was thankful they had laid down an old table cloth because she was more prepared to throw it away than try to and wash all the stains out. Wooden floors made for a quicker clean up so she wasn't as worried about that. What needed immediate attention were the twins. How they both looked like more of their dinner was on their faces and hands than in their stomachs baffled both Lizzie and William. They had been keeping an eye on them while they ate and then, somehow, everything exploded at once.

First priority was getting the twins into the bath, which was a two-person job, especially with Lizzie's limited experience. William worked on cleaning up as best he could while Lizzie got the upstairs guest room bathroom ready.

"Oh, you two think you're so cute, don't you," Lizzie said as she prepared the bath. Scarlett and Charlie were sitting on the floor and they were looking at each other and giggling. "I'm surprised you're not still hungry."

"Dinner yum!" Scarlett belted out.

"I'm glad you both liked it," Lizzie said, gesturing for Scarlett to stand up. She started to undress her as the toddler squirmed and gave her a hard time. "Now we're going to get you both squeaky clean. We'll wash your hair and between your toes and behind your ears."

"I clean now!" Scarlett protested.

"You'll be clean _soon_ ," Lizzie corrected as she finished undressing her. She turned to Charlie to start undressing him when the door opened and William came in.

"The dishes are put away and the dining room is pretty clean. I'll scrub it down later. I got them a change of clothes, too. How can I—"

Before he could finish, Scarlett made a break for it. She ran past his legs and down the hall while she yelled 'Clean now! Clean now!'

"Oh lord," Lizzie grumbled, keeping a hold on Charlie to make sure he didn't run too.

"Sis got away," Charlie said simply.

"I'll get her," William said, putting their clothes on the toilet seat cover before sprinting out of the bathroom. He saw a flash of the naked toddler as she ran out of the hallway. "Get back here, you little rascal." He was right behind her in moments and she giggled as she hid behind the kitchen counter. He bent down and got a hold of her and she laughed harder while squirming in his arms. "It's time to join your brother in the bath."

"Clean?" Scarlett asked, rubbing her face on his shirt. "Cleaner!"

"Thank you for that," William said flatly, noticing the new stain. He brought her back into the bathroom and found Lizzie sitting on her knees next to the bathtub, using a washcloth to clean Charlie's face. "I found someone who could benefit from a thorough scrubbing."

"Fantastic," Lizzie said, looking over her shoulder. She raised her eyebrows at the state of his shirt and he gave her a resigned look before shrugging. He put Scarlett in the bath next to Charlie before unbuttoning his shirt and leaving on his undershirt, adding it to the pile with the other dirty clothes.

"Let's get these two sparkling," William said, making them both smile. He grabbed a second washcloth and got it soapy before wiping Scarlett down. She and Charlie played with the couple water toys Jane provided and it kept the splashing to a minimum, though it wasn't totally avoidable. The twins both giggled and squirmed as Lizzie kept her promise, cleaning behind their ears and between their toes. Both Lizzie and William were extra careful when they washed their hair, making sure none of it got in their eyes. Soon enough, bath time was over and Lizzie pulled out the plug to let it drain. They lifted the kids out of the bath and dried them off from head to toe before getting them dressed in their pajamas. Charlie's hair was standing on end and Lizzie snapped a quick picture before sending it to Jane.

"I'll clean up," William said and Lizzie smiled.

"You're the best. I'll keep them occupied," Lizzie said, standing on her toes and kissing his cheek. "I've got the perfect idea."

"I don't trust that tone," William narrowed his eyes. Lizzie simply winked and grabbed the kids' hands, leading them into the living room. She noticed that it had started raining again and hoped Jane and Bing were staying dry. The rain seemed to get harder and began beating on the windows. The twins looked a little scared and held onto Lizzie's hands a bit tighter.

"Everything's going to be okay," Lizzie assured them, crouching down onto her knees. "How would you like me to read you a story?"

"Yes, puh-lease," Charlie and Scarlett said simultaneously, nodding.

"How would you like me to read you a story in…a _blanket fort_?" Lizzie asked. The twins had a mixed look of confusion and curiosity on their faces. Lizzie was struck with disappointment with her sister for not yet introducing her kids to one of the greatest pleasures of childhood; of their own childhood. She made a mental note to talk to Jane and realized it was completely up to her to show the twins just how special blanket forts could be. "You've never built a fort out of blankets and pillows before?"

"No," they both shook their heads.

"Blanket forts are the best. They are the safest spot in the room, you won't have to see the rain at all, and it makes story time even more fun," Lizzie said, keeping her voice light and happy. William walked in with the dirty pile of clothes in his arms, clearly heading for the laundry room. Lizzie leaned in closer to the twins and lowered her voice. "Maybe if we ask Uncle William, he could help us build it."

"What are we up to?" William questioned, hearing his name.

"You help with blankets, puh-lease?" Charlie asked.

"Blanket fort!" Scarlett added.

"We're building a blanket fort now? It's not story time?" William mused.

"Story time would be _in_ the blanket fort. It's the perfect weather for it," Lizzie said in her all-knowing tone.

"Let me throw these in the wash and I'll see what I can find," William said. Lizzie softly clapped and whispered 'yay' before the twins joined in at a much louder volume. William smiled at the two of them copying Lizzie and hurried to the laundry room, getting the dirty clothes and his wet undershirt into the washing machine. He pulled on a clean t-shirt hanging on the door and then he went straight to the hallway closet, grabbing as many blankets as he could before returning to the living room. He saw that Lizzie had already grabbed the dining room chairs from the table.

"Furniture has to be moved to make this the best blanket fort possible," Lizzie said, glancing at him.

"Of course," William said, putting the blankets down. He and Lizzie rearranged the furniture around to create a square of sorts. Once it was up to Lizzie's standards, she started to set it up. A few blankets were laid down on the floor for comfort before she worked on the walls and ceiling.

William ran to get some pillows for the inside of the fort. The twins helped when Lizzie asked for it but they didn't know what to expect. Lizzie created one opening between the two couches for everybody to enter, making it seem even more fort-like. She moved around a couple lamps and found battery-operated candles under a kitchen cabinet to provide proper lighting. William handed pillows to the kids so they could bring them inside. In the end, they all agreed that it was a pretty impressive fort. Just before they were going to crawl back in, Charlie remembered that they still needed a story.

"I'll go get one," Lizzie said, starting to head downstairs.

"From there," Charlie pointed to the bookshelf.

"Is there anything okay for them on there?" William asked Lizzie.

"Possibly," Lizzie shrugged, unsure. William brought Charlie and Scarlett over to their bookshelf to let them pick one.

"What story would you like us to read to you two?" William asked kindly. Scarlett went to grab one of the fattest books on the shelf, _Gone with the Wind_ , and William chuckled before stopping her.

"My book?" Scarlett asked.

"Not just yet," William said gently. "Maybe a shorter book?"

"You pick?" Charlie asked, gaping up at his uncle. William scanned the bookshelves for anything that would be more age appropriate. There were only a few and they mostly belonged to Lizzie from either her own childhood or for research having to do with future projects. Finally, he saw the perfect choice.

"Ah. I think we have a winner," William said, grabbing a book off the shelf while the twins ran into the fort where Lizzie was. He knocked on the couch near the entrance and the twins giggled before they told him to come in. He crawled in and saw that Lizzie was lying down on the far end of the fort with Charlie and Scarlett sharing a pillow in the middle. He took up the spot closest to the entrance and made a big show of getting comfortable.

"What did you end up picking?" Lizzie asked, her eyes flickering from him to the book in his hands.

" _The Little Prince_ ," William replied. Their eyes locked with each other and her expression was so tender that he fell a little bit more in love with her. They didn't look away from each other until he felt Charlie lightly tapping his arm. He glanced down at him with a smile and the toddler simply smiled back.

"It's a little boy!" Scarlett pointed out.

"Yes, it is" William said warmly. "My mother used to read me this book all the time when I was little and now I get to read it to you."

Lizzie knew how special the book was to him, especially when he chose it to represent his mom at their wedding. He confessed to her late one night how much he was looking forward to reading the book to their own child. It was a thought that was popping up in her head more and more lately, imagining her husband with a little girl or boy next to him, listening in rapture while he read his favorite childhood book. It made her heart flutter with happiness a little bit more every time.

"Our gamma?" Charlie asked.

"Oh, no, buddy," William said gently, brushing some hair out of Charlie's face. "She would have been your Great Aunt."

Lizzie braced herself for the possibilities of what would be said next. She knew the concept of death was foreign to kids so young and there had yet to be a time in their lives where it needed to be explained. She sincerely hoped they wouldn't have to be the first ones to do it.

"Aunt? Aunt Lizzie?" Scarlett asked. Lizzie let out a quiet sigh of relief and she was sure her expression mirrored her husband's.

"Kind of like Aunt Lizzie. She would be about as old as your grandma now," William said, smiling at her. "She would do all the voices when she read to me too."

"Will you do voices?" Charlie asked with a pleading look in his eyes. "Mommy does voices."

"You want me to do voices?" William looked between the two of them.

"Yea!" Charlie and Scarlett said together. Lizzie laughed quietly to herself at their enthusiasm.

"Alright. Is everybody comfortable?" William asked. Charlie squirmed his way closer to him while Scarlett wormed her way towards Lizzie. Lizzie turned on her side and put an arm around Scarlett as they both faced William.

"Ready!" all three of them chorused. William smiled and opened up to the first page. He began to read out loud, pausing occasionally to show them the picture in question that the author was describing.

"…Thus you can imagine my amazement, at sunrise, when I was awakened by an odd little voice," William said, showing them another picture.

"It's the boy on the front!" Charlie said.

"Good catch, Charlie!" William smiled at him. Before he continued, he cleared his throat so he could use a different voice. "It said: 'If you please, draw me a sheep!'"

The twins both giggled at the silliness of his voice. It was high but not quite as high as the voice he used when Scarlett held her tea parties.

"I like it," Scarlett said as if giving him her seal of approval. "Keep going, puh-lease."

"Thank you, Scarlett. Don't mind if I do," William said as he kept reading, alternating between voices. "'What!' 'Draw me a sheep!' I jumped to my feet, completely thunderstruck. I blinked my eyes hard…"

* * *

"You can stop now, Will," Lizzie whispered. He had only successfully read through half of the book. Charlie was the first to fall asleep, his head resting on William's shoulder. William had to be very careful as he turned the pages while Scarlett fought the pull of sleep. Lizzie used a tactic her mother used on her when she was little, brushing her fingers lightly on the top of her head. It wasn't long before she finally gave in and fell asleep. "Your Little Prince voice was my favorite. Nicely done."

"I learned from the best," William whispered back. He looked at the sleeping toddlers and Lizzie smiled at their predicament. "Should we get them to bed?"

"Let's not move them just yet. They barely fell asleep," Lizzie said. She sighed softly and he smiled at her. Scarlett began to move in her sleep and both William and Lizzie froze, hoping she wouldn't actually wake up. After a few moments, she settled down again and they relaxed.

"I think we'll be okay," William said, keeping his voice down.

"I think so, too," Lizzie agreed.

"When did Jane and Bing say they were coming back?" William asked.

"Not until late," Lizzie said quickly. "Why? Already done with these two?"

"Not at all," William said with a lopsided smile. "I have more respect for Jane and Bing every day. They do so much with them at night."

"I assume some nights are easier than others," Lizzie said. She paused and thought about it for a moment. She and William weren't used to such hectic nights. After their long days at work, one of them would make dinner or they would go out when they didn't feel like cooking. They had no worries about picky eaters or having meals by a certain time. They spent their evenings unwinding and enjoying each other's company instead of sticking to bath time and bed-time schedules. Their experience was pretty limited and yet, she thought they had done a pretty good job. If they were able to get through a night like tonight with the twins, then she was sure they would be able to get through many more nights in the future. It gave her the reassurance that she really needed. She exhaled and William gave her a curious look.

"What's up?" William asked lightly, earning a quick smile from his wife.

"Tonight has been loud and chaotic and messy," Lizzie said after a few moments.

"It has," William said before giving her the chance to continue.

"But it's also been…fun and eye-opening. We've gotten the opportunity to experience things with these kids that they've never experienced before," Lizzie said, gesturing to the book beside her husband and the blankets around them. "And, I was thinking…"

"What?" William asked slowly. There were only so many things she could say next and his hopes were starting to rise. How would she finish her thought? Would it be the same thought that had been on his mind throughout most of the night? Or even the past few months? He waited with bated breath for her to continue.

"I want that. I want _this_ for us," Lizzie said, sounding more confident than ever. "I want one."

William tried to think of the words as he worked to slow down his heartbeat. This was the turning point for them. Despite knowing exactly what she was talking about, he needed her to say it outright. He slowly broke out into a smile and her face lit up further. "Which one?" William teased. "Do you think they'd be willing to give up Charlie? We have a lot in common and he lets me read to him."

"Will," Lizzie scoffed.

"Or Scarlett? We've been having some pretty stellar tea parties together," William teased further.

"William Darcy," Lizzie scolded in a whisper.

"Elizabeth Darcy," William replied in a similar tone. She gave him a look before sighing and trying to fight back another smile.

She knew exactly what he was looking for and there was no need to beat around the bush, so to speak. "I want to start a family. I'm ready to have a baby with you."

"You're sure? You're absolutely sure?" William asked, trying to mask the giddiness in his voice. "Even after everything tonight?"

"It's actually because of tonight. We survived. They're in one piece. Nothing was broken. I believe we're ready," Lizzie said. "I think we can do this."

"I _know_ we can do this," William assured her.

"There's still so much to talk about but…" Lizzie trailed off, glancing at the sleeping toddlers. "We should get these two to bed and clean up."

"Why don't we put them in the room across from ours? We can keep an eye on them better if we do," William said. "And I'll wash the sheets before your parents get here in the afternoon."

"Sounds good," Lizzie said with a smile. It took them a few minutes to maneuver out of the blanket fort without waking up the twins. Lizzie and William carried them into the guest bedroom and carefully got them into bed, making sure they were tucked in snugly. William started to leave but paused when he realized Lizzie was not next to him. He leaned against the doorway and crossed his arms, watching her as she placed a kiss on Charlie and Scarlett's foreheads. She turned around and she pressed her lips together when she saw the reverent expression from her husband.

"What?" Lizzie asked as she approached him, placing a hand on his forearm.

"You're going to be an amazing mom," William said, his voice full of affection. Her cheeks reddened and he smiled, reaching toward her and brushing his thumb across her heated skin.

"And you'll be an even better dad," Lizzie countered. William pulled the door closed but left it open a crack, just in case. She grabbed his hand and tugged him in the opposite direction of the bedroom. They immediately went straight to cleaning up the rest of the mess in the dining room. The conversation was mostly superficial so they could gather their thoughts before they tackled what mattered most. Sadly, the blanket fort was taken down next. William moved all the furniture back in its place while Lizzie folded the blankets and put away everything else. She went to get them both some water while he got comfortable on the couch.

"So, first things first," Lizzie began, putting the glasses down on coasters. She took a seat next to him and turned her body to face him. "I don't want this to change anything."

"Uh…" William frowned, looking at her in confusion. "Call me old-fashioned, but I'm pretty sure that having a baby will completely change our lives."

"Oh, I worded that wrong," Lizzie grimaced and William looked more amused than anything else. "I'm pretty aware how things will be shifting when we have a baby. What I meant was that I don't want our lives to be completely wrapped around trying to get pregnant. I realize it's a big deal for us to make this decision and I don't want to take it lightly but I want us to agree on what we're planning to do here."

"Of course, Lizzie," William said softly, taking her hand. He began to rub his thumb across her wrist and it made her growing anxiety die down. "I didn't expect us to jump into anything without talking about it first. We know how _not_ talking about things has worked out in the past."

"Yea…We're also passionate, happy people who have a strong and loving relationship. It's such a big part of why we work so well together. I don't want _that_ to change. I've seen marriages completely fall apart because they had such a difficult time getting pregnant. They had everything planned to the T and their sex lives became nothing more than a time-table," Lizzie said, taking a breath. "I don't want the desire sucked out of this marriage because we become so caught up in it."

"I don't want that to happen either." William agreed. "You've really thought about it, haven't you?"

"At least this part," Lizzie smiled. "I'm no expert on pregnancy. _Yet_."

"Of course," William said.

"Basically, our sex life is one of the few things that doesn't go in your calendar. Maybe with the exception of anniversaries and some of those epic marathons we've had, but you know what I mean," Lizzie said as she leaned in closer towards him. "I don't want to count the days of my cycle or take my temperature to see when I'm ovulating. That would essentially take the sexiness out of sex for me. I don't want to limit the positions we can use or not let you take a hot shower because it might lessen our chances or lower your sperm count or something."

"Where did you hear that?" William asked, chuckling.

"I feel like it's been in at least a couple movies I've seen over the past decade," Lizzie shrugged. "I'm not sure. Maybe it was a magazine article."

"So basically what you're saying is that you want to stop your birth control and see where it takes us," William said, locking his eyes with hers for confirmation.

"Exactly," Lizzie smiled. "I'm nearly done with my latest pack anyway. I can toss it as soon as my cycle starts."

"That's good to know. People really limit themselves to certain positions?" William wondered.

"Right? I feel like it's an old wives' tale. I don't think it makes a difference honestly," Lizzie said. "Imagine if we stopped our shower shenanigans or our hallway greetings after a business trip or an especially long day."

William smirked at her choice of words. "Those are a particular favorite of mine."

"I know," Lizzie said, lowering her voice and sounding a little sultrier. "You're a rather enthusiastic partner."

"As are you, love," William hummed deeply. He leaned in and captured her mouth, kissing her slowly. Her hands slid up his chest and cupped the sides of his neck as they took their time, both softly moaning as their lips glided across each other. It took them a few moments to finally pull apart and they shared playful grins.

"So, we're on the same page about this?" Lizzie asked, pulling at her bottom lip. "Goodbye protection and hello our already very active sex life?

"Yea. That's a good way to put it," William laughed. "No temperature taking, no limitations, and no counting down days."

"I feel like that would give us false hopes anyway. Half the reason I started birth control in the first place was because I was never precisely regular, even after the first two years. Sometimes, it would be 24 days or 35 days and it was just how I was," Lizzie said, waving her hands about. "Apparently, that's how the Bennet women are. My mom put us all on the pill when each of us started high school. It's like the weirdest Bennet tradition I can think of."

"Really? The one so adamant about wanting grandchildren?" William asked, raising an eyebrow.

"She wanted grandkids but she didn't want them when we were still in high school," Lizzie said pointedly. "She may be a bit misguided sometimes, but she means best and I know she loves us."

"Of course she does," William said warmly. "May I ask a serious question?"

"Please do. We need to talk about all aspects," Lizzie said.

"How long are you willing to do it this way? Where you simply stop your birth control and we continue to – "go at it like rabbits-," as half of our inappropriate friends say. I am more than ready for whatever wait we'll be dealing with but I know it can be taxing after a number of months of nothing," William said, taking hold of both her hands. "Do we set an objective or a time limit at some point?"

"Well…" Lizzie paused, thinking about it for a moment. She knew too much about her mom's pregnancies and that it only took a few months each time they decided to have another. Her sister obviously got pregnant with ease and they weren't actually trying. She didn't want to set unrealistic expectations but her husband was right. It applied to any woman trying to get pregnant. There was only so much time one could handle before it took a toll on them emotionally. "A year? Wait…" Lizzie mentally counted on her fingers. "If I'm not pregnant by our fourth anniversary, then we'll pull out all the stops. Scheduling it all, counting down the days, taking my temperature. We'll even go to a specialist, if it comes to that."

"A little over a year. I think that's reasonable," William said before continuing. "And what about the timing? With your business moving and taking on more clients? Plus, there's a few business trips coming up and my big one in London with—"

"There's never a perfect time," Lizzie interrupted, putting a hand over his mouth. He lifted one eyebrow at her and she smiled at him. "We work around it. We'll figure out what to do when we get there. Right now, we're making the decision to have a baby. I'm not pregnant _yet_. We're just opening the door to get there."

Lizzie dropped her hand into her lap to give him the freedom to speak again. It was at that moment that William understood the true magnitude of the conversation they were having. From the look on Lizzie's face, she was going through the same thing. Their path was shifting and they were going down an unknown one, together. Lizzie's eyes became glassy and she offered him another smile.

"We're going to have a baby," William said, not quite believing his own words.

"Not yet…but theoretically, yes," Lizzie replied. The lightness of her voice made his heart beat quicker.

"We're really going to do this," William said softly.

"We are," Lizzie nodded, unable to stop her smile from growing.

"Okay, then," William said, exhaling.

"Okay," Lizzie laughed quietly. "Didn't expect the night to go this way, did you?"

"Not in the slightest," William said, shaking his head subtly. "But I don't think I would want it to go any other way."

"Me neither," Lizzie said.

"You know, this has been on the back of my mind for a while," William confessed and Lizzie's eyes widened a little with curiosity. "Watching you with Charlie and Scarlett really brought this all to the surface for me. They love you so much and you do so well with them. I've been hoping we'd get to this point sooner than later and talk about it, at least. I certainly didn't expect it to go this well. This is pretty ideal."

"I suppose you could say that it's _optimal_ even," Lizzie said pointedly and William beamed at her choice of words. She leaned in, pressing her forehead against his shoulder. He pressed his lips to the top of her head as she grabbed his hand, entwining their fingers.

"I love you so much," William whispered into her hair. She lifted her head after a moment and looked positively glowing.

"I love you, too," Lizzie said softly.

"Is it safe to assume we're keeping this to ourselves?" William asked.

"Absolutely. It's great when people are trying to have a baby but when you're telling others? You're basically telling them 'Hey, we're having a lot of unprotected sex on purpose! Be excited for us!'" Lizzie said, making William laugh. "Talking about sex in general is seen as taboo but not when you're attempting to create life? It's like a double standard. Plus, there's the added stress of more people waiting to hear the inevitable announcement."

"You're always thinking from multiple angles," William said. "And you're right. It will be our secret."

"Our secret, indeed," Lizzie smiled, quickly kissing him. "You know what sounds really good right now?"

"Watching some TV with you next to me?" William asked, wanting nothing more at that moment.

"Totally in tune with each other. Best husband ever," Lizzie grinned, grabbing for the remote and turning the TV on.

"Best wife ever," William smiled, putting an arm over her shoulder as she curled into him.

* * *

William and Lizzie were engrossed in an old black and white movie in the darkened room when they heard the distinct sound of soft crying and footsteps coming closer. William quickly shut off the TV and they both jumped up from the couch to find Scarlett coming in from the bedroom, rubbing her reddened eyes. The two exchanged a thankful glance. It was a good decision to put the kids upstairs, considering the current situation.

"Scarlett? Are you okay?" Lizzie asked as she and William bent down to her level.

"Want Mommy and Daddy," Scarlett said weakly, sniffling a little.

"They're not back yet," Lizzie said, gathering in her arms and standing back up. She started calming Scarlett down by rubbing her back. She rested her head on Lizzie's shoulder and her breath hitched a few times.

"Where's your brother, sweetie?" William asked gently and Scarlett looked over at him.

"He sleeps like trees," Scarlett answered.

"Like…trees?" Lizzie asked, furrowing her brow. She glanced at her husband for an answer and he was biting his bottom lip, trying to decipher her meaning. His eyes lit up a moment later and smiled at Lizzie.

"Like a log?" William offered and Lizzie raised her eyebrows, holding back a laugh.

"Daddy says that," Scarlett said sluggishly, nodding.

"It's going to be okay, Scarlett," Lizzie murmured as she kept rubbing her back. "We're right here."

It took barely any time for the toddler in her arms to fall back asleep, resting heavily on Lizzie,

"We should get her back to bed," William said and noted Lizzie adjusting her in her arms. "I can take her."

"Want to get in some practice?" Lizzie asked, only partially teasing.

"As much as I can," William replied quietly. They stared at each other for a couple moments, knowing his statement meant more now than it ever did before. He took Scarlett out of her arms and she stood on her toes, kissing his cheek. She got her favorite dimpled smile in return before he went to put Scarlett back to bed.

Jane and Bing returned from their date just before eleven, looking happier and more carefree than they had in a while. They found Lizzie and William watching TV on the couch but they looked more than ready to go to bed.

"Hey!" Lizzie whispered. "Did you have fun?"

"So much. It was _so_ nice to go out and know the kids were in good hands," Jane said brightly. "I see you survived a night with them."

"We sure did," Lizzie said. "They're asleep in the guest bed. I think Scarlett had a bad dream."

"Happens," Jane said, smiling at Bing as he went to check on the kids.

"I'd love to hear about how the rest of the night went," Jane said.

"Same with your night out," Lizzie said. "In the morning?"

"You got it," Jane said, heading towards the bedroom. She passed Bing, who came in a moment later with Scarlett slumped against his shoulder, looking more peaceful than she did earlier.

"Thanks so much for watching them tonight," Bing said. "I'm sure you had your hands full."

"There wasn't a dull moment," William said and Bing grinned.

"Sleep well, guys," Bing said before taking Scarlett downstairs. Jane came out a few moments later with a sleeping Charlie, whispering another 'thank you' to Lizzie and William.

"What a night, right?" William asked when Jane was gone.

"Definitely," Lizzie said, standing up from the couch and pulling down her bunched-up shirt. She held out a hand and William took it, dramatically taking a moment to get up. "I think we could use a good night of rest after our day today."

"It's definitely been a long one," William said, kissing her temple.

"But a good one," Lizzie amended as he put an arm around her shoulder. "Full of important decisions and practice for the future."

"A future that is even brighter than it was this morning," William said with a deep breath as they slowly began to head to the bedroom. He glanced at the pictures hanging on the wall in the hallway and his subtle smile grew after a few moments.

"What are you thinking?" Lizzie asked, seeing his expression.

"Someday, hopefully sooner than later," William said, gesturing to the framed pictures. "It won't be just you and me on here anymore. The thought of us actually deciding to build our family makes me incredibly happy."

"Me too, Will," Lizzie beamed. "I'm really looking forward to covering this wall with you."

"This wall and the living room and our bedroom and our offices…" William trailed off, making Lizzie laugh.

"Planning to be that parent who take pictures of everything they do?" Lizzie asked teasingly.

"Like you won't be right next to me doing the same thing," William replied before adding. "Besides, you wouldn't be able to stop me if you tried."

"I wouldn't want to," Lizzie said softly, standing on her toes and kissing his cheek. He turned his head towards her and smiled.

"Come on, love. It's time for bed."

* * *

 _Notes:_

 _Firstly, I want to give massive thanks to Sarah for stepping up and becoming my beta for this sequel. She's slowly whipping me back into shape and helping me make sure that this is the best it can be for you guys._

 _I don't have a posting schedule for this as I only have a few chapters under my belt. We'll have to see where the time takes us!_


	2. A Time for Thanks

_Summary: Lizzie and William spend the rest of their Thanksgiving vacation with family and friends._

 _Notes: Thanks so much for the receptive response! It's always nice to see readers so eager to read something new :)_

* * *

 _Wednesday, November 22nd_

When Lizzie was younger, the day before Thanksgiving usually meant a day off from school and sleeping in. She would watch her mom run around the kitchen in a tizzy, making sure things would be ready for any and all family to arrive the next day while her dad would be sent out to the store multiple times. She and her sisters would offer to help but they would usually be banned from their mother's presence after ten minutes and they'd spend the day watching TV and playing board games.

On a day like today, she missed being a child.

It was morning and she and Jane were in the kitchen while William and Bing were cleaning up the twins after a messy breakfast. Lizzie was looking through all the cupboards and double-checking the shopping list while Jane was doing the dishes.

"Should I be making something special for Charlie and Scarlett?" Lizzie asked, glancing over her shoulder at Jane. "I don't want them to be limited because we weren't thinking of them."

"They have no issues with mashed potatoes as long as there's no gravy on it and they like turkey," Jane said. "Are you making peas or green beans?"

"William was planning to make that nut-crusted green bean dish he's made in the past. I'm assuming they're not fans of green beans?" Lizzie asked.

"Not yet. We'll try again but tomorrow is not the time," Jane remarked. "Why don't you put some peas and carrots on the list and I'll take care of that."

"Sounds good," Lizzie said, scribbling on the list. "And for dessert? Mom was planning to make a cherry pie when she gets here and Lydia is bringing ice cream."

"They've never had ice cream before and we're holding off on that," Jane said, drying her hands and pulling out her phone. She scrolled through for a moment before finding what she needed and showed it to Lizzie. "These fruit popsicles are tasty and healthy and they can't get enough of them."

"Ooh. You might have to make enough for everyone. They look delicious!" Lizzie said brightly, looking to see what ingredients they already had. Jane and Lizzie spent the next ten minutes triple-checking everything because she didn't want a repeat of the first 'Friendsgiving' she held a few years ago. She would have to calculate the right amount of food she would need to feed nine people tomorrow as well as have enough for Saturday when it was their turn to host the monthly dinner. Their monthly dinners had become a tradition that started two and a half years ago, first hosted at Charlotte and Sam's old apartment. It was never on the same day of the month but everybody generally found Saturdays worked best. They rotated through everybody's place so no one person would have to host more than once in a row. This month, they specifically planned it for after Thanksgiving, which was being dubbed the 'leftovers' dinner, because Jane and Bing would be in town. It was probably the least amount of effort the group would be putting into their monthly dinners since they would be bringing whatever they had left from their respective Thanksgivings.

The sisters were so caught up in the list that they didn't hear William or Bing coming back up with the twins. They decided to have a little fun and came quietly up to the counter, ducking behind it.

"Mommy!"

Jane and Lizzie jumped from the deep voice that came out of nowhere and they turned around, their eyes widening when they saw what appeared to be Scarlett and Charlie floating behind the counter. The two men lifted up Charlie and Scarlett so that only their heads were showing.

"What are we doing today, Mommy?" Bing continued, wiggling Scarlett in his hold and making her laugh.

"Yea, Mommy. What are we doing?" William asked in a silly voice, mimicking Bing's movements.

"Are we going out?" Bing asked.

"Can we go out?" William asked. "The weather is so nice!"

"Pleeeeease," Bing drew out.

Jane and Lizzie looked at each other and rolled their eyes at their husbands' behavior. Charlie and Scarlett were both enjoying the little game, giggling and smiling every time they were being wiggled about. After a few more moments of playing around, William and Bing stood up from the counter. Charlie reached out for Jane and William brought him over while Bing adjusted Scarlett in his arms. William moved over to Lizzie and slid an arm around her waist.

"Daddy and Uncle William are being silly, aren't they," Jane said sweetly, looking between her children.

"Super silly!" Scarlett raised her arms before kissing his cheek. "Love Daddy!"

"Love you too, my girl," Bing said, kissing her back.

Lizzie glanced up at William, who was watching them attentively. She could see a hint of longing in his eyes for the same thing and it made her want to hug him fiercely. She pushed herself lightly into his body to break his gaze. He looked down at her and smiled softly.

"Do you really not have any plans for today?" Lizzie asked.

"I had a few ideas," Bing said.

"I was actually thinking of helping Lizzie," Jane said, adjusting Charlie. "She's got grocery shopping and prepping to do before tomorrow."

"Would you like me to help?" William asked, looking to Lizzie.

"Actually, I think you can help by taking them out," Lizzie said before looking to her niece and nephew. "Do you two cuties want to spend the day with Daddy and Uncle William?"

"Where we go?" Charlie asked.

"Hold on," William said, pulling his phone out of his pocket and checking something. Lizzie peered over his shoulder and broke out into a smile when she saw what he was looking at. "Good idea?" William asked her.

"Absolutely," Lizzie nodded.

"We could take them to the San Francisco Zoo, Bing," William suggested. "It opens soon and I'm sure we could spend plenty of time there."

"That sounds like fun!" Jane said enthusiastically. "How about the zoo, kids? Remember the animal book we got you, Charlie?"

"Lions?" Charlie asked, tilting his head and Jane nodded. "Lions are awesome!"

"You can see one up close, buddy," Bing said before turning his attention to Scarlett. "And there are owls there too!"

"Owls!" Scarlett squealed. "Hoot! Hoot!"

Lizzie snickered at her enthusiasm and her owl impression.

"Owls are her favorite animal right now," Bing clarified. "It looks like we're going to the zoo! We can get out of your hair and you can get what you need done."

"That would be perfect," Lizzie said, sounding relieved.

"Why don't we all get ready so we can leave when they leave?" Jane suggested to Lizzie.

"We can get so much more done that way! Good thinking, Jane," Lizzie replied. She and William headed to the bedroom while Jane, Bing and the twins went downstairs. "The zoo was a good idea, Will."

"I thought so. It's great for all ages and it can eat up a good amount of time. They're only two so I was trying to think of something they would enjoy," William said, closing the bedroom door behind them. "The movies would only give you so much time and I have a feeling Scarlett would be running through the aisles asking strangers for candy."

Lizzie laughed. "Is it weird that I can picture her doing that?"

"Not at all. It's actually something I remember Gigi doing once when our parents took us to the movies," William said fondly, walking into the closet to grab a shirt. He threw the old one in the hamper and put the new one on before continuing. "Needless to say, we didn't go again for a while."

"Oh dear," Lizzie pressed her hand to her forehead, sitting on the bed to put her shoes and socks on.

"If you ask Gigi about it, she'll deny ever doing it," William said, handing Lizzie a sweater. "It's not like she would have been old enough to remember that incident in the first place."

William sat down in the chair across from her to put his shoes on. "You know, I'm getting in even more practice while you run around doing errands."

"Don't worry, I'll be getting in mine tomorrow evening when you're cleaning all the dishes and putting away the food," Lizzie said with a gleam in her eyes.

"Touché," William laughed. She gloated for a moment and stood up, putting on her sweater. She went to the bathroom and flipped the light, working to put her hair up. William came in a moment later to brush his teeth, sneaking glances at his wife in the mirror while she got ready. Once he finished, he ran a comb through his hair and deemed himself ready.

"Leaving?" Lizzie asked, the corners of her mouth twitching up as he bent down to kiss her neck.

"I am," William said. "You can call or text if you need anything."

"I think we'll be okay but I will keep you in mind," Lizzie said.

"We'll try to be back before Thomas and Fran arrive but I'm not making any promises," William added. He turned his head at the sound of his name being called from the other room. "I'm being summoned."

"Have fun!" Lizzie called out to him as he left the bathroom. She stuck her head out to add, "Love you!"

"Love you, too," William replied happily.

* * *

Lizzie and Jane spent half the morning running errands and grocery shopping before finally returning home. They would get the occasional text message from Bing or William with a picture attached of one of the twins enjoying the zoo. One message from William made her stomach flutter with excitement.

 _I can't wait to do this with one of our own._

Lizzie was sure she would hear about the day in detail later tonight but it wasn't the time to think about it. She and Jane were in the kitchen, preparing stuffing and side dishes for Thanksgiving. They both knew they would still be spending a good part of the day in the kitchen tomorrow but this would save them a significant amount of time.

"I got an interesting request from my kids this morning," Jane said, glancing over her shoulder at Lizzie. She was adjusting the dial on the stove for the stuffing before she returned to Jane's side and grabbed a knife to cut up some celery.

"Oh? What was that?" Lizzie asked.

"They wanted me to make them a blanket fort when we get back home," Jane replied.

"You should!" Lizzie said enthusiastically. "Jane, I cannot believe you've never made one for them before! Especially considering how many times we made them as kids! If we weren't hiding in the closet, we were in a fort. You always made the best ones, too."

"Huh. That must have slipped my mind," Jane said, frowning for a split second. "You're right. We've got all that room in the playroom. It will come in handy now that we're getting snow."

"Really? That must be fun," Lizzie joked.

"Don't tease. You should try dressing little ones up for cold weather. It takes forever," Jane complained.

"I'm sure it does," Lizzie said.

"I was thinking," Jane said, glancing at Lizzie while cutting up carrots. "We should start having weekly phone calls. It would really help with the twins. I mean, you don't get to see them very often and it usually takes Charlie a while to warm up to you and William. Mom and Dad are getting pretty good at it now."

"No more accidental disconnections?" Lizzie asked lightly.

"You know it takes Mom longer to learn new things without one of us there," Jane replied. "It hasn't happened in forever though."

"Probably because William sat down with her and took her through everything step by step," Lizzie said.

"Didn't Lydia do that before she moved out?" Jane asked.

"Things just seem to stick when _William_ does it," Lizzie said with a pointed look.

"Interesting. Well, they're good at it now," Jane reiterated.

"I think we can set aside some time during the weekend to see our niece and nephew," Lizzie grinned at her. "My phone lags with Facetime but we prefer Domino anyway. William has the perfect set up for it."

"Great! They'll be happy to see your face more often," Jane said before adding, "Caroline does it too. She calls a few times a month to talk to us and say hi to the twins."

"What about…" Lizzie trailed off, scrunching up her face in thought. "Um, Signore Hair?"

"Lizzie!" Jane choked down her laugh. "His name is Massimo!"

"How am I expected to remember her husband's name if I've never met him?" Lizzie asked pointedly. "I'm happy that Caroline found someone who fits her standards. I still think the rush with the wedding was weird. It certainly wasn't enough notice for me and William to make it."

"It was a whirlwind romance," Jane offered weakly.

Caroline Lee, now Caroline Capelli, had met Massimo Capelli just over a year ago while she was in Veneto, Italy for business. Their connection was instantaneous and their courtship lasted a mere three months before they announced their engagement. The wedding was set for one month later on March eighteenth where they were married cliff-side near the Amalfi coast. Only an intimate group of friends were invited, but the ceremony and reception were both apparently quite elaborate. Lizzie and William had yet to meet the elusive husband but had seen plenty of pictures of him. He had rather luxurious hair that rivaled his wife's and they both agreed it was a match made in hair heaven.

"He's really very nice, Lizzie. I think you would like him," Jane offered. "He sent us a case of his wine from one of his wineries a couple weeks ago."

"But she's not coming home for Thanksgiving," Lizzie stated, putting away a finished dish in the fridge. She washed her hands and dried them off before returning to the stuffing cooking on the stovetop.

"No. She and Massimo are going on a two-week sailing trip to celebrate the end of harvest season," Jane said.

"Oh. That's…nice," Lizzie said, just barely hesitating. She couldn't deny that Caroline established that a whole new level of luxury that had her living a very comfortable life. Falling in love with a man who was not William was all that Lizzie wanted for her, even if they never truly got along. Lizzie had a theory that Caroline found the Italian version of her own husband the first time she saw a picture of him. Dark hair, blue eyes, and tall with a similar body type - but she kept that thought to herself.

"At least she'll be around for Christmas. Bing's parents are excited," Jane said. "They'll have a full house with all of us there."

"Yea. It's going to be weird not to have you around this Christmas," Lizzie said, giving Jane a gloomy look.

"It will," Jane agreed before playfully nudging her sister. "But you'll get us for New Year's! Plus, Gigi's coming home, right? William must be excited about that."

"Oh, he definitely is. He's a bit mopey she can't make it for Thanksgiving though," Lizzie said. "It just doesn't make any sense to fly all the way from London for a couple days."

A couple years ago, Gigi and Sidney ended their relationship. Sidney was offered a lucrative position in San Diego after his boss Tom Parker had mentioned the opening to him. The two of them sat down and talked out the logistics of everything, from the possibility of them both picking up and moving down there to her staying in San Francisco and continuing the long-distance relationship. In the end, they decided it was time to stop denying the truth. They had been slowly falling out of love with each other and it was best to end it rather than drag it out any longer.

Gigi confided in Lizzie during a much-needed girls' night out that while she had loved Sidney, she was always hoping for more. She wanted to be as passionately in love with someone as Lizzie and William were with each other. As she had worded it, their candle burned brighter each day but hers and Sidney's had slowly dimmed. She decided that she needed to focus on herself for as long as she could.

Pemberley Digital had been planning to open their first international office in London for a while and when it was starting to become more of a reality, Gigi jumped at the chance to head the project, much to William's surprise. She backed up her enthusiasm with a detailed plan for the company that rivaled his own. The board fell in love with her ideas and approved of sending her to London. It would take a long time to get the international offices off the ground and it would be a change of scenery for Gigi. Bringing a bare-bones team with her, she boarded a plane in March with no set date to return. It was officially the lengthiest amount of time that the Darcy siblings had been apart without regular visits.

While everybody in the group felt the absence of Gigi's vibrant personality, Lizzie knew her sister in-law was happier than she had been in a long time. They emailed regularly and made sure to fit in a phone call at least twice a month. She and William would also get the occasional postcard from Gigi, raving about her latest European weekend adventure. While she didn't always have a lot of free time, she took advantage of when she did and would jet off to explore a new city. When the holidays began to approach, Gigi broke the news that she wouldn't be able to make it for Thanksgiving because she was swamped. She did, however, let them know that she would definitely be home for Christmas and was planning to stay through the New Year.

Knowing Jane and Bing were splitting the holidays and would be with his parents for Christmas Day, Lizzie would be taking on hosting duties again. She decided that the best place to enjoy the holiday would be at the Darcy family cabin in Tahoe. Lydia and her parents would join them for Christmas Eve and Christmas while their friends would drive up later for New Year's Eve. She was even able to convince Jane and Bing to fly over and join them at the cabin for the first time ever. It would be a full house and the bunk beds would be put to good use for once. Her husband's grateful reaction to the plan made the hard work completely worth it.

"How is she doing, by the way?" Jane asked.

"She's doing great! London has done wonders for her," Lizzie said. "Getting the PDI offices up and running is taking a lot of time but she's putting so much work into it. William is really impressed with her."

"Well, she's a Darcy. Would he expect any less of her?"

"I told him that. She just needed to find where she wanted to be before she could show her full potential. She got a taste of it in Sanditon. I think she just needed a bigger canvas to work with. I always knew Gigi had it in her," Lizzie said proudly.

"When do you think she'll be done?" Jane asked, mixing the cut-up carrots with the peas. "Or the better question: do you think she'll come back?"

"I'm not sure but I hope so! William and Fitz are going at the end of February with another board member to see the progress and to sit in on interviews to hire a bigger team," Lizzie told her. "He's going to be gone for two weeks and I'm already not looking forward to it."

"Long business trips are terrible. I can barely handle a weekend away from the kids when I have a show," Jane said sympathetically. "But when I come back, it's the best. I gather them in my arms and I don't let go for the longest time."

"I bet," Lizzie hummed before grinning at her sister. "William and I do something similar when we come back from trips."

"You're dirty," Jane laughed, shoving her away.

"I don't know what you're implying, Jane," Lizzie said innocently. "There are hugs involved when we reunite."

"I'm sure there are," Jane deadpanned. Her phone chimed a moment later and she went to grab it. "Speaking of husbands…"

"They're not coming back already, are they? We still have another hour of prep, at least," Lizzie said, a little worried.

"Oh no. Bing's just sending me another picture. They're on a carousel," Jane said, showing Lizzie.

"That is an adorable picture!" Lizzie exclaimed. Bing snapped a picture of William riding a plastic giraffe while holding onto Scarlett sitting in front of him.

"Isn't it? I have so many pictures of Bing and the kids that I'm surprised I have space left on my phone," Jane said. "Oh! They're heading to the children's zoo next."

"That should be fun!" Lizzie said. "Meanwhile, let's try to finish this so we can relax a little before they get back."

"Did Mom and Dad say when they were leaving?" Jane asked, putting her phone down and returning to the stove.

"Sometime after two. They'll call before they leave," Lizzie said.

"Hopefully they get here after the twins have their nap and not during. Mom has woken them up before and then I'm left to deal with cranky toddlers," Jane said with a sigh.

"Really? You'd think she would know not to do that, considering she raised three!" Lizzie said, shaking her head. "How many times have I thanked you for having two kids? It's bought me twice as much time from Mom asking us about it."

"It's only going to distract her for so long, Lizzie." Jane gave her a knowing look. "You know she'll start asking sooner than later."

"I know. You and Bing wouldn't happen to be discussing adding a third to the Lees, would you?" Lizzie asked jokingly. There was no way she was going to give away the news that they were actually planning to start a family. Deflecting it back to Jane was the best thing she could think of.

"You're _hilarious_ , Lizzie!" Jane said sarcastically. "And not anytime soon. We have the room in our new house for a third but we'll be waiting a few more years."

"I had to ask," Lizzie grinned at her.

"Valiant effort, dear sister," Jane smiled in return.

* * *

Bing and William returned from the zoo early in the afternoon with two very tired toddlers. As they went downstairs to put them down for naps, Jane and Lizzie's parents called to say they were finally leaving. The look of relief on Jane's face was apparent and they congratulated each other on getting everything they needed to do, actually done. When William and Bing returned from downstairs, they joined their wives in the living room to relax.

"All done with everything?" William asked, resting an arm on Lizzie's shoulders.

"We are," Lizzie nodded happily. "I'd probably still be at it if it weren't for Jane."

"It helped to have everybody out of the apartment, too," Jane added, patting Bing's thigh. "So how was the zoo? Pictures only give away so much."

"Well, owls are no longer Scarlett's favorite animal," Bing informed them.

"Really? She was so excited about them this morning," Lizzie said, her eyebrows rising in surprise.

"There's a big difference between pictures of owls in children's books and real owls," Bing said with a sigh.

"She may have cried a little when the zoologist brought one out for her," William said with a grimace.

"Oh no! She seemed okay when you came home," Jane sat up straighter and gave a worried look to Bing.

"She's fine, babe," Bing said, soothing her and rubbing her thigh. "Darcy had it under control right away. He had the bright idea to get her on the carousel. She was back to her happy self within minutes."

"That's good you thought of that," Lizzie said warmly, locking her gaze with his. He gave her a subtle smile that lit up his eyes and she held back a happy sigh. They both knew what the other was thinking. Practice made perfect and William was definitely taking the time to perfect things. If he was doing so well as an uncle, Lizzie could only imagine how incredible he would be as a father. Only time would tell.

"Oh! You'll find this funny," William said. "We were congratulated today."

"Dude," Bing started chuckling.

"What about?" Jane asked.

"On producing some 'very beautiful children,'" William said, clearly amused.

"What?" Lizzie started, then laughed. "Are you serious?"

"It happened a few times," Bing nodded. "One couple actually asked us if we used a surrogate."

"Apparently two men bringing children to the zoo make people automatically assume we're a couple instead of friends," William said, nudging his giggling wife.

"That's San Francisco for you," Lizzie nudged back.

"You probably shouldn't expect any less by now," Bing said.

"No. You really shouldn't," Lizzie agreed, looking at William. Bing told them about the other two encounters that had the sisters laughing. They talked about the rest of their day at the zoo in detail and watched a video of Charlie, pressed up against the lion exhibit and giggling as a lion licked the glass. Soon enough, the topic was changed to the plans for the next few days.

Mr. and Mrs. Bennet arrived nearly two hours after they left and their mother complained about all the traffic. William set them up in the guest room, complete with freshly-washed sheets and towels for their bathroom. Luckily, the twins woke up from their nap soon after they arrived and Mrs. Bennet's grouchy mood quickly dissolved.

William and Bing made dinner while everybody else played with the twins and kept them occupied. Mrs. Bennet squeezed her way into Jane and Bing's nightly routine but the twins were happy to have even more time with their grandma. Lizzie and William called it an early night with the excuse that they would be up early and the day would be long. While they were telling the truth, the bigger reality was that they simply craved time alone together. The thought of slipping into bed and unwinding together after their day sounded all too tempting for them. They did exactly that until they fell asleep curled against each other.

* * *

 _Thursday, November 23rd (Thanksgiving)_

Lizzie's original intentions for the morning were to get up early and let her husband sleep in. When she woke up, it appeared that William had beaten her to it. She quickly got ready for the morning and walked into the kitchen to find him and her dad in the kitchen making pancakes and bacon.

"Happy Thanksgiving!" Lizzie said warmly. Both men turned their heads towards her and nodded at her presence.

"Happy Thanksgiving," they both replied. She shuffled over to the counter and sat down as William put a plate of bacon down, covering it with a paper towel. He leaned in closer to her quickly kissed her lips.

"Good morning, love," William murmured quietly. "Orange juice?"

"Yes, thank you," Lizzie nodded. He poured her a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice and slid it over to her before returning to Mr. Bennet's side, leaning his hip against the counter so he could pay attention to both people in the room.

"Thomas is teaching me the secret of his pancakes," William said.

"Finally," Lizzie said, laughing softly when William pretended to be hurt. "Your pancakes are delicious, William, but Dad simply does something that makes them a little bit better."

"I thought it was about time to pass on the recipe," Mr. Bennet said. "You're doing all the work this year and I thought it was well-deserved."

"It is much appreciated," Lizzie said before looking around the apartment. "Is Mom up yet?"

"She was up late making the pies so I didn't want to wake her," Mr. Bennet replied, flipping the pancakes. "And don't worry. We'll clean up and get out of your way pretty soon."

"Don't worry about it. I can spare some time for my husband's crispy bacon and my dad's pancakes," Lizzie said happily.

"I should see if Jane, Bing, and the twins are up. We wouldn't want them to have a cold breakfast," William said after a few moments.

"I'm sure they'll be up any minute," Lizzie replied. As if on cue, they heard Jane and Bing coming up the stairs with the kids. Bing unlocked the gate and the twins were let loose.

"Do I smell Dad's pancakes?" Jane asked, grabbing Scarlett before she ran too far out of reach. "Ooh, and bacon?"

"You do. Breakfast is almost ready," Mr. Bennet said. "We can start serving if someone would like to set the table."

"Bing and I can do that," William volunteered, grabbing some plates.

"Mom still needs waking up," Lizzie mentioned as she handed him a stack of napkins as he walked past her.

"Wake up gamma!" Scarlett exclaimed, clapping her hands.

"Gamma!" Charlie repeated, a little less enthusiastically than his sister.

"I think she'd like that," Mr. Bennet nodded, placing the last of the pancakes on the already-tall stack.

"Alright. Come here, Charlie," Lizzie said, groaning as she picked up her nephew. "Did you get bigger overnight?"

"Mommy? Did I?" Charlie asked, looking genuinely worried.

"No, sweetie. You're just the right size," Jane smiled at him. "Just like your sister here."

"I get no bigger," Charlie replied sincerely, looking directly at Lizzie. She chuckled and kissed his temple.

"Okay, same-size boy," Lizzie teased. "Let's go wake up your lazy-bones grandma."

"And then we can watch the parade while eating breakfast!" Jane added.

"Puh-rade!" the twins shouted gleefully.

* * *

Lizzie felt like the apartment had exploded with noise. With three people in the kitchen preparing food, everybody else was in the living room watched a late broadcast of the parade at, what seemed, full volume. Every time a new balloon floated onto the screen, one of the twins would shout what it was. They clearly thought the occupants in the kitchen needed the extra declaration over the parade announcers, even though they could see the television from where they were.

The noise levels only seemed to increase as the morning passed by. Still, there was something about the scene before her that made her feel at home. William and Jane were with her in the kitchen, helping her out and laughing about a funny story Jane was sharing. Her parents were making themselves comfortable in the living room, possibly for the first time ever on this holiday. The twins were following each other around the coffee table, giggling each time their grandpa would stop them by putting his legs in the way. Bing had taken it upon himself to start a fire, after asking of course, considering the gloomy weather outside.

That uneasy feeling she had at the beginning of the week had dissolved. It may have been the first real Thanksgiving somewhere other than her parents' house but nobody seemed to mind. William was right all along. It didn't matter where they were as long as they were together. She began to wonder what Thanksgiving would be like down the road with their own additions to the family. It would probably be even louder and more hectic but it made her want it even more. It was ridiculous the amount of times the thought kept popping up in her head, even after explicitly she said that it shouldn't take over their lives. She blamed it on the holiday and being surrounded by her family for being so sentimental. She glanced at William and he raised an eyebrow in question, silently asking if she needed anything. She shook her head and went back to cutting up the potatoes for the mashed potatoes. Only moments later, she felt the presence of someone approaching and hummed in content when her husband pressed his lips to the spot behind her ear.

"What was that for?" Lizzie asked softly, looking over her shoulder at him.

"You're doing a great job," William said before adding, "And because I wanted to."

"Thank you," Lizzie smiled at him. "Are you done with the green beans?"

"I am. I can take over the mashed potatoes now," William offered.

"You make them creamier. Be my guest!" Lizzie said, gesturing to the cutting board. She took that opportunity to check on the turkey and baste it again. There was a knock on the door a few minutes later and Lizzie and Jane looked at each other, knowing exactly who it was. "Charlie? Scarlett? Want to help us answer the door?"

"Who is it?" Charlie asked, hesitantly following Lizzie and Jane. Lizzie picked him up a moment later and he rested his head on her shoulder. Scarlett jumped up and down in excitement for a moment before running past them to the door.

"Auntie Lyddie?" Scarlett asked, grabbing the door knob and trying unsuccessfully to open the door.

"It just might be," Lizzie said in a teasing tone.

"Open! Open!" Scarlett demanded.

"Remember your manners, Scarlett," Jane reminded her.

"Pretty puh-lease?" Scarlett asked, turning the knob again. Jane pulled Scarlett away from the door before unlatching the chain and opening it with a flourish. Sure enough, Lydia was standing on the other side with a bag in each hand.

"Auntie Lyddie!" Scarlett squealed.

"There's my Scarlett! Come here!" Lydia said enthusiastically before putting her bags down. Scarlett ran towards her and Lydia bent down to pick her up, giving her a big hug. "How's my niece?"

"Hungry!" Scarlett replied, making the sisters laugh.

"You just had lunch, silly girl," Jane said, grabbing Lydia's bags from the floor. "We'll have Thanksgiving dinner in a few hours. It's nearly time for your nap."

"Lyddie tuck me in? Puh-lease, Mommy?" Scarlett asked, looking at Lydia.

"Please, Mommy? Can I tuck her in?" Lydia asked, moving Scarlett over to her hip.

"I don't see why not," Jane replied before shaking the bag. "I'm going to get this in the freezer."

"And then we're catching up!" Lydia commanded. Jane saluted her before she walked down the entry-way, disappearing around the corner and into the kitchen. Lydia turned towards Lizzie and grinned at the toddler in her arms. "Hi there, Charlie. Remember me?"

"Lyddie," Charlie said quietly before smiling a little. "Hi."

"How you doin'?" Lydia asked, reaching over and gently pinching his cheek. He giggled and buried his face in Lizzie's shoulder.

"Come on. There's plenty of people who are excited to see you," Lizzie said, closing the door behind them.

"I'm excited to see them. If I wasn't so busy this week, I would have been here to see everybody days ago," Lydia said with a heavy sigh.

"Well, today you can relax," Lizzie reassured her. "Eat too much, be lazy, and play with these little ones once they're up from their naps."

"That is _all_ I want to do today," Lydia noticed Charlie looking sleepier in Lizzie's arms. "He looks tired."

"They've been running around all morning," Lizzie said, rubbing Charlie's back. "It's definitely time for their nap."

"Then lead the way!" Lydia said. "The sooner they take their nap, the sooner they'll wake up, and the sooner I get to play with them!"

"That won't really take care of the lazy part of your to-do list," Lizzie joked as they started down the entry-way.

"Any time I'm not sitting in a sound booth or running around backstage is considered lazy times for me now," Lydia replied.

"How times have changed," Lizzie said wistfully.

"For you and me both, sis," Lydia hummed.

* * *

Every one sat down for Thanksgiving dinner to an array of festive food. William brought a perfectly-cooked turkey to the table and Lizzie looked rather proud of herself. Mr. Bennet was offered the carving knife but politely declined, stating he shouldn't get the honor after doing none of the work. Once the turkey was tasted and declared juicy and delicious, Lizzie was able to relax. William squeezed her thigh and smiled at her, telling her she had no reason to worry in the first place.

Most of the family went for seconds and even thirds, making Lizzie feel even better about all the hard work she had done. Charlie kept grabbing for the bread rolls but Jane was on top of it, letting him only have one and moving the basket away from his grasp. There was a small incident with Scarlett, where she spilled her juice all over her plate. It was quickly cleaned up and replaced while Bing took care of the crocodile tears running down her face.

"Is everybody ready for dessert?" Lizzie asked, getting up and starting to grab plates.

"No way, Lizzie. Sit down," Bing said, nodding to William.

"Did you really think you'd get away with that?" William asked lightly. "We'll take care of it. I seem to recall already committing to this part."

"Thank you," Lizzie said, smiling as he kissed the top of her head.

"You boys are so sweet," Mrs. Bennet cooed. Lizzie and Jane exchanged looks at their mom calling William and Bing 'boys' still. They both thought she'd stop with the moniker when Jane and Bing had a boy of their own but old habits died hard.

"It's no trouble, Fran," Bing said. He and William began to clear the table while Lizzie started to detail what dessert was available.

"Mom made pie, Jane made some delicious looking fruit popsicles for the kids, and Lydia brought ice cream. We can also brew coffee, if anybody would like some," Lizzie finished.

"I need some time to digest," Mr. Bennet sighed, patting his stomach.

"There's definitely a piece of pie with my name on it," Bing called over his shoulder as he walked to the kitchen.

"Daddy!" Charlie wiggled around in his booster seat.

"He'll be right back, buddy," Jane assured him while she was taking Scarlett out of her booster. William rolled up his sleeves and started tackling the dishes that Bing was bringing him.

"May I?" Lydia asked, looking at Jane.

Jane nodded. "Go right ahead, Lydia," Lydia took Charlie out of his booster seat and sat him down on her lap. He wiggled around for a moment before resting the back of his head against her chest.

"Look at you being all motherly, Lydia," Mrs. Bennet said proudly. "Wouldn't you love that for yourself?"

Lizzie snuck a glance over to William in the kitchen and he was looking in her direction, raising his eyebrows in surprise. Her mother had skipped right over hounding her and William for kids and went straight for Lydia. It was one of the more interesting developments of the night.

"Uh, I think I'll just enjoy being an Aunt for now, Mom, thanks," Lydia said, recovering quickly from her own shock. She grabbed a toy that Jane was handing her and gave it to Charlie, who began to busy himself with it. "Besides, I'm pretty busy with the theater. Lizzie, did I mention that an assistant stage manager position opened up?"

"You didn't! You were talking about how there were rumors about it last week," Lizzie said. "Did you hear that, William?"

"Did Tangi actually leave?" William asked, raising his voice over the sound of running water.

"Finally. She was such a drama queen about it, too. She was making all the stagehands miserable. It's not like she's the only assistant," Lydia said, rolling her eyes. Charlie dropped his toy and she held onto him as she bent down and grabbed it, adjusting him in her lap when she sat back up.

"Are you going to apply?" Lizzie asked.

"I already did actually," Lydia said with a big grin. "I went in as soon as I got up this morning and let my boss know of my interest. I don't know if I'll even get an interview but it doesn't hurt to try."

"Of course you'll get an interview, Lydia!" Jane enthused. "You have so much experience from the theater back at home."

"Plus, you know all the ins and outs of this one already," Lizzie added.

"It's more work and more hours but it's also more pay," Lydia said. "I need to keep saving up if I ever want to move out on my own."

"Is everything okay with the apartment?" William asked, walking over and drying his hands with a towel. He put his hands on Lizzie's shoulders and squeezed them. She brought one hand up and covered his with her own.

"Oh, it's great! I love the view, it's close to you guys, and the Muni stops right outside the door. Plus, Kitty and Glitch get along like bandits," Lydia said. "I just kind of assumed that Gigi would want her place back when she returns from London."

When Lydia got her theater job in San Francisco, her start date was only two weeks later. It didn't give her any time to find herself an apartment and barely enough time to pack up all the stuff from her own place. Lizzie and William generously offered to help her move as well as let her stay in one of their guest rooms until she could find a place. She declined on account of their continual honeymoon status. Luckily, Fitz and Brandon also extended an invitation to stay at their house and she happily took them up on their offer. She quickly discovered that while she had saved some money from her last job, she couldn't afford a place of her own yet. When Gigi was making arrangements for her temporary move to London, she offered to sublet her place to Lydia at a fraction of the cost of most apartments in the area. Lydia initially argued over her generosity but Gigi told her she was saving _her_ money by taking care of Glitch while she would be away. There was no arguing with her and, after staying a month with Fitz and Brandon, she moved into Gigi's place.

"You know she's more than happy it's you subletting and not some stranger," William said. "You have nothing to worry about. She'll give you plenty of notice when she returns. If you're concerned, I'm more than willing to rent out the pied-a-terre to you."

"That's really generous of you, William," Lydia said. "I don't want to get too ahead of myself, just yet. It really depends on what happens with this job."

"Of course. Let me know," William said. He started to walk away and then snapped his fingers when he remembered something. "And she was asking for another picture of Glitch this morning. Lizzie and I managed to get her on the phone for five whole minutes and she talked about missing him for half that time."

"Cats are important, William," Lydia said, giving him a stern look. He shook his head before grabbing a few half-empty dishes. "I'll email her when I get home."

"What is this position, dear?" Mrs. Bennet asked.

"Assistant stage manager. If I got it, I would be one of three assistants helping out with stage schedules, marking spots and floorplans for the stage, making sure people get their props and generally directing traffic behind stage. I'd also probably go to manager meetings and, on occasion, run rehearsals. It's a lot of responsibility," Lydia finished.

"It sure sounds like it, Lydia," Mr. Bennet said. "I hope you get it."

"I hope I do, too!" She started to bounce her leg and Charlie began giggling the more she did it. "Have you gotten started on the changes to the house, Jane?"

"We have! We still need to paint the twins' room and I'm trying to figure out how to convert the office into my studio space," Jane said, grabbing her phone to show her new pictures of the house.

"We're also doing some construction on the fourth floor," Bing explained, taking the rest of the leftovers off the table. "It's big enough for another bedroom as well as a playroom for the twins."

"Oh? Any reason you need a fourth bedroom?" Mrs. Bennet asked, perking up. Mr. Bennet shook his head subtly while Jane and Bing bit back a laugh, knowing exactly what she was trying to do.

"We have the guest room next to the twins' room," Bing replied smoothly. "They're used to sleeping in the same room right now so we're not going to mess with that. They'll want their own rooms sooner than later. We want to be prepared for the loss of that guest bedroom whenever that happens." William called him from the kitchen. "Oh I should get back in there to help," he said quickly, retreating from any further questions about more grandchildren.

Lydia passed the phone to her parents, who flipped through the pictures together.

"That terrace looks even better than it did when we were there," Mrs. Bennet said.

"We hired a landscaper to fix it up," Jane said. "Now, these two have a safe place to play outside without me worrying about them tripping over uneven brick."

As Jane continued to share what she and Bing had planned for their townhouse, Lizzie mouthed "coffee?" to her dad. He nodded and she excused herself from the table as she had already heard it all. She made her way into the kitchen where William was finishing up washing the last of the dishes and Bing was putting containers of food in the fridge.

Lizzie walked over to William and stood on her toes to quickly kiss him on the cheek. "Thank you for helping out so much."

"You're welcome," William said warmly as she started to get to work on the coffee. "Thank _you_ for making such a delicious dinner."

"That was one juicy turkey, Lizzie," Bing agreed.

"I tried my best. It looks like there's enough for Saturday too," Lizzie noticed as Bing was putting the last of the containers in the fridge.

"There's plenty!" Bing said. He grabbed a towel and started drying the dishes William had just finished washing.

"We don't really need to worry. I'm guessing with all the leftovers everyone is bringing, we'll end up having too much," William said.

"There's always soup!" Lizzie joked.

"You and your turkey soup," William chuckled.

"It was a staple leftover in my house. You can't really break me from it!" Lizzie said with a shrug, grabbing coffee beans from the pantry.

"I can't break Jane of it," Bing agreed.

"See?" Lizzie said, gesturing to Bing. She took the hot water off the stove and began making the coffee. "William? Would you do me a favor?"

"Do you need cups?" William asked, opening a cupboard.

"Well, yes, but would you mind asking who wants coffee and what dessert they'd like?" Lizzie asked, smiling at him. "I was thinking we could migrate to the living room and watch _A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving_. Jane said Charlie and Scarlett haven't seen it yet and this would be the perfect time."

"Oh, they're going to love that! Caro and I watched that movie when we were kids. I haven't seen it in years," Bing said.

"I saw it once when Gigi was younger. I think I could use a second viewing," William said, gently rubbing Lizzie's arm. "I'll be right back with dessert orders. I think we both know what Bing wants."

"Pie!" Bing shouted.

"You're starting to sound like your kids," Lizzie laughed.

"You might be laughing now but you'll see, Lizzie. Your language changes once you have kids," Bing said. "Gotta get right to the point."

"And your point is pie," Lizzie said succinctly.

"I can never pass up Fran's pie so yes," Bing nodded. "My point is pie. And don't forget the scoop of ice cream."

"There is no point to pie without that scoop of ice cream," Lizzie grinned at him.

* * *

 _Saturday, November 25th_

On Friday, everybody ventured to a nearby park to enjoy the weather. Bing, William, and Mr. Bennet spent too long teaching Charlie and Scarlett how to play Frisbee while Jane, Lizzie, and Mrs. Bennet snatched a spot on the grass. Mrs. Bennet and Jane were immersed in a conversation about the twins while Lizzie was more focused on watching William. He had an immense amount of patience in showing Charlie how to throw – since each time, Charlie would throw it straight to the ground. Lizzie could see the effort William was using not to laugh. After Charlie finally tossed it more than a foot away from him, William celebrated by picking him up and flying him all the way over to the ladies before he returned to Scarlett. Charlie spent the rest of the time at the park with them, flipping through books Jane had brought for him. Mr. and Mrs. Bennet treated everybody to lunch and then they returned to the apartment to say goodbye to the twins and put them down for their nap before they headed back home.

Saturday was the last full day of the Lees' visit. The morning started out a little more exciting than anybody had intended. Lizzie or William forgot to completely close their door the night before and Scarlett wandered into the room. Somehow, she had escaped from Jane and Bing's watchful eye and went looking for her aunt and uncle. Thankfully, they were both fully clothed but still very much asleep. Scarlett stood at the edge of the bed on Lizzie's side and poked her until she woke up. Lizzie inhaled and slowly opened her eyes, finding herself face-to-face with the little one.

"Holy sh—" Lizzie yelped, stopping herself before she finished the obscenity. "Scarlett!"

William shot up in bed from the sheer volume of Lizzie's voice and discovered the source of the issue. Scarlett looked like she was on the verge of tears and Lizzie was clutching her chest, clearly trying to calm herself down.

"Scarlett? What are you doing in here?" William asked as softly as he could manage, considering the abrupt wake-up call.

"Wanted to play," Scarlett said feebly, her bottom lip quivering. Lizzie took a deep breath and slid out of bed, getting down on her knees to Scarlett's level.

"Oh, Scarlett. We'd love to play but maybe we could wait until after breakfast? You just woke me up and I wasn't ready," Lizzie said, caressing the toddler's cheek. "You surprised me."

"Good surprise?" Scarlett asked.

"I love surprises from you, sweetie," Lizzie assured her. "But remember the manners Mommy has been teaching you?"

"Puh-lease! Thank you!" Scarlett replied, looking proud of herself. Lizzie heard shuffling behind her and William came around the bed to join them.

"Very good," William smiled at her. "Has she taught you what knocking means?"

"I knock and Mommy opens the door," Scarlett stated.

"Did you do that just now?" Lizzie asked. Scarlett took a moment and then shook her head.

"I come in. No knocking," Scarlett whispered.

"Can you see why Aunt Lizzie was surprised now?" William asked and she nodded. They heard the sound of quickly approaching footsteps followed by the distinct sound of Jane calling Scarlett's name. They all turned when Jane knocked and poked her head in their bedroom, her face both cringing and apologetic.

"Scarlett? Did you wake up Auntie Lizzie and Uncle William?" Jane asked, coming in as the two of them stood up.

"She did," Lizzie told her. "We were just teaching her the importance of knocking."

"She doesn't quite have that down yet. I'm so sorry for waking you up, guys," Jane apologized, picking up Scarlett.

"I sorry," Scarlett repeated.

"It's okay," William said soothingly. He brushed his finger across the tip of her nose and Scarlett smiled. "Now we have more time for the twins. At least, once we get ready and eat breakfast."

"We'll see you when you come out then," Jane said, still sounding apologetic. She left the bedroom and made sure to close it behind her.

"I also need my heart to stop racing," Lizzie exhaled.

"I think we can figure that out," William responded. "I'm much better at getting it pumping, though."

Lizzie laughed and shoved him away from her. "You're terrible."

"Whatever you say," William said before heading into the bathroom. He stuck his head out before closing the door. "For the record, I'm pretty sure you were the one who forgot to close the door last night."

"For the record, I think you were distracting me with something," Lizzie teased.

"Both our faults then," William grinned. "I can deal with that."

"Me too," Lizzie grinned back.

Lydia came over after breakfast, ready to spend the day with the twins and her sisters. The apartment was filled with noise and Lydia seemed to have a knack for bringing out the most energy in the kids. An epic game of Hide and Seek was suggested and Lizzie found herself on the seeking side with Jane, counting down with her while everyone else hid around the apartment. The sound of giggling and shushing easily gave Scarlett and William, who Lizzie found hiding in guest bathroom upstairs. Bing's phone gave away his hiding spot and he put on a show when Scarlett found him. After fifteen minutes, Charlie was finally discovered in Lizzie's library/office, hiding in a corner and flipping through the pages of a book.

Lydia took it upon herself to introduce the twins to sock sliding after lunch. While the girls lined the walls and door with pillows and blankets for falls, William and Bing sprayed the floor with furniture polish to help make things extra slippery. Lizzie and Lydia showed the twins how to execute the perfect sock slide and they laughed hysterically every time one of them fell. Once it was their turn, somebody would hold onto one of them while they made a slow running start and slid across the floor, giggling all the way.

While the twins were being put down for their nap, Lizzie, William, and Lydia spent the time cleaning up the apartment. They still had a few hours before their friends would be showing up for dinner but they wanted to take the opportunity to get the place ready sooner than later. They were able to relax afterwards and enjoy a quieter conversation with the family.

Lydia filled them in on more details about the job she was applying for and what her chances were compared to some of the other people. Lizzie was excited for her sister and hoped that she would get it. Ever since Lydia had moved up to San Francisco, they had become even closer. No more three-hour drives each way to see her a handful of times a year. Now, if they wanted to grab dinner and get pedicures on a Sunday, she only had to hop in her car and drive ten minutes to pick her up. What Lizzie loved the most was that Lydia and William had become closer too since she moved. She treated him like a real big brother, occasionally teasing him, asking for advice or a random favor and he was as protective over her as she allowed him to be. She and Gigi had also become pretty good friends, despite the distance between them. She had immersed herself into their group of friends and had even hosted a couple monthly dinners. All in all, everybody agreed that Lydia fit right in San Francisco.

When Lizzie and William were planning this month's dinner, they told everybody they were welcome to come at any time so they could get in optimal visiting time with the East Coast family. A little before five, Fitz texted Lizzie to let them know they were on their way. Thankfully the twins had been up from their nap for a while and were refreshed for another round of visitors.

Fitz and Brandon arrived with their arms full. They both had leftovers and Fitz was also armed with another bag, hanging from his shoulder.

"What do you have here?" Lizzie asked after they greeted each other and gave each other hugs.

"I brought a few child-friendly games," Fitz said. "And maybe a couple books."

"I don't think he can stand to have kids not like him," Brandon explained.

"I think you'll be okay, Fitz," Lizzie assured him. "You remembered the way to Charlie's heart, at least."

"That was my plan," Fitz said with his famous beaming smile before pulling out a copy of _Where the Wild Things Are_ from his bag. "Besides, who can resist the best children's book ever?"

"Hopefully not Scarlett and Charlie!" Lizzie said.

"Where would you like the food?" Brandon asked. "We've got some fruit salad, cranberries, apple cobbler, some cheesy mashed potatoes, and Fitz has the drinks."

"Perfect! The kitchen is just fine. William's in there already," Lizzie said before pointing to Fitz. "And I think you can follow the voices to the rest of the group."

"Already on my way, Lizzie D," Fitz replied.

Sam and Charlotte arrived soon afterwards with even more food and the kitchen became a hub of activity. Fitz was successful in getting Charlie to like him and was sitting in the living room, reading to him and Scarlett. Everybody else was catching up with Jane and Bing or helping Lizzie set up the table. Brandon, Sam, and William worked their magic with the leftovers and everybody oohed and ahhed when they served everything. As they ate, they shared their tales of their individual Thanksgivings. Fitz and Brandon went to Fitz's parents for the holiday and it was relatively uneventful, with the exception of them losing the pumpkin pie to an unfortunate baking incident. Sam and Charlotte ventured back to her hometown for a tame Thanksgiving and a wedding yesterday where Maria was one of ten bridesmaids.

"Wait, _ten_?" Lizzie asked in surprise. "That is completely ridiculous!"

"Ridiculous is an understatement," Charlotte said. "Maria's been complaining about how much of a Bridezilla her friend has been for months. She pretty much wanted everybody to know she was marrying into money. There were chandeliers and six-foot tall floral arrangements. They had ice sculptures of themselves in multiple places."

Lizzie and William both burst into laughter and Charlotte glanced to them in amusement, waiting for an explanation.

"I joked about getting those for our own wedding," William said.

"And Mom suggested ice swans more than once," Lizzie continued.

"We both agreed it would be tacky," William finished.

"Tacky would be a good word for this wedding," Charlotte said, rolling her eyes.

"I think there were close to four hundred people at this thing," Sam said. "And there were heirloom chandeliers from the early 1900s. They made a really big deal about that."

"More than once," Charlotte added. "The bride came out in a Cinderella carriage with six white horses and she apparently was wearing a Vera Wang dress but only for the ceremony. She changed into another wedding dress for the reception. The wedding favors were, get this, replica Fabergé eggs and Swarovski Crystal horses. They had gold flakes in more than half the food but not the caviar. She changed again when they left…in a helicopter. "

"What the —" Lydia stopped abruptly, remembering the twins were at the table. She pressed her lips together at the sight of Jane and Bing both immediately covering their kid's ears, just in case. "Sorry."

"It takes time getting used to their presence," Jane said as Charlie shook his head to get his mom to stop covering his ears. "Sorry, hon."

"I wanna hear," Charlie said in a huff. Scarlett did the same thing to Bing and the table tittered as she pouted from missing out on the conversation. He grabbed two toys from the nearby couch and gave one to each twin to keep them occupied.

"I don't think the bride ever made it to our table," Sam said. "Why would you invite so many people and never have a chance to talk to them?"

"That's why we had the amount of people we had at ours," Lizzie said, beaming at William.

"It was perfect," William agreed as he slid his hand into hers.

"Or eloping is good," Fitz said quickly, taking the attention away from the lovebirds.

"I like the idea of that because I could totally do without the stress of planning it and all the frills that go with it," Charlotte said. "But I'd obviously want my family and my bestie there."

"There's no way I wouldn't be at your hypothetical wedding," Lizzie promised.

"What about me?" William asked teasingly.

"You're a package deal," Charlotte said, giving him a 'duh' look.

"Sam? What about you?" Fitz asked.

"I'm sure I'd be there too," Sam said cheekily.

"When are you two going to make it official already?" Lydia asked boldly. "You're practically the same status as Mr. and Mrs. PDA over here."

"We're not even doing anything," Lizzie said defensively.

"You get all googly-eyed just _mentioning_ your wedding," Lydia said with a knowing look. William gave her hand a squeeze to comfort her before her shoulders relaxed a bit.

"We've talked about it," Charlotte said, looking at Sam. "We, uh, don't really have an answer for you."

"Lame," Lydia scoffed, crossing her arms.

"We'll let you know, Lydia," Sam assured her. "All I know is that our wedding would be far less tacky than the one yesterday."

"What's 'tacky'?" Scarlett asked.

"It just means very silly, sweetheart," Bing answered.

"Auntie Char go to a silly wedding?" Scarlett asked, looking at her.

"We sure did, Scarlett. Very silly," Charlotte replied, smiling at her.

"Sam," Brandon said, smoothly changing the subject. "Have you gotten any more patients? You said it was a possibility during the last dinner."

"Yes, actually! I am all the way up to ten patients," Sam said proudly. "I'm dealing with double digits."

"I think it's only a matter of time until people discover your offices," Charlotte offered. Charlotte and Sam spent five months in their first apartment together before she was put in charge of expanding the offices to San Francisco. She spent the first half of 2016 running herself ragged, traveling between the old offices to train a new manager and back to the new offices to get everything set up. While Sam was busy finishing school and shadowing therapists, he still managed to find them an affordable two-bedroom apartment in the city. Everybody helped get them packed up and moved in but it still took Charlotte and Sam two months to actually unpack their boxes. Once Ricky Collins was satisfied with the level of experience from the newest manager, Charlotte moved all her attention strictly to her new offices and didn't look back.

After Sam graduated from his program, he spent the next thirteen months working with another family therapist, building up his experience further. He was finally able to open up his own practice in July of this year, in a building full of other specialty therapists. It was taking some time to build his clientele but word was starting to get around. While he couldn't share specific stories with everybody during their monthly dinners, they kept track of his numbers and congratulated every time it went up.

"Speaking of offices," Fitz said, nudging Lizzie, "Are you getting excited, our very nearly neighbor?"

"Two blocks away does not make me your neighbor," Lizzie rolled her eyes.

"Well, in the vicinity of, at least," Fitz said. "It sure puts you a lot closer to us than before. It's within walking distance. I think the bigger question is will I be seeing you more or Darcy less around lunchtime?"

"I guess you're just going to have to wait and see," Lizzie said with a laugh before glancing at William. He was brushing his thumb across her wrist like he often did. She could tell he liked the thought of their offices being closer together. It would provide many more opportunities for lunch together, amongst other things obviously on their minds. She was planning to check out the finished offices next weekend before DEP officially made the move. She was hoping to convince him to come check it out with her and maybe do a little more. With the way he was currently looking at her, she didn't think he would need much convincing at all.

"I think it's outstanding you're doing well enough that you're moving to a bigger location, Lizzie," Jane said supportively. "I'm so proud of you!"

"Coming from the woman who was just the featured designer at a fashion show," Lizzie said with her own pride for her sister.

"Oh! I saw the pictures Lizzie took. I think those were your best designs yet!" Lydia added.

"I feel like this is going to turn into the Bennet sister trying to out-compliment each other," Charlotte said.

"Sounds like it," Sam chuckled, putting his arm on the back of her chair.

"I think it's safe to say that the Bennet ladies are becoming quite successful," Brandon said. "Including Lydia with the job offer. We're all rooting for you."

"God. Now it's just going to be so much worse if I don't even get the interview," Lydia groaned.

"Impossible. You're important to that theater, Lydia. We'd be proud of you whether you get that job or continue with your current one," William said.

"I proud!" Charlie exclaimed, waving his hands in the air and making the table laugh.

"Thank you, Charlie," Lydia smiled.

"Hey, isn't time for these little tykes to have their baths?" Lizzie chimed in.

"Oh, you're right! I didn't even notice the time," Jane said, glancing at the clock. "I think we're going to have to excuse ourselves."

"Stay! I can take care of them," Lizzie offered.

"I can help out, too," Lydia said. "That way you can keep on visiting with everyone."

"You wouldn't mind?" Jane asked.

"Not at all!" Lydia grinned. "I see these people too often, anyway."

"That's hurtful, Little B," Fitz clutched at his chest while Brandon snickered. "After all we've been through together."

"You're made of steel, Fitz. Don't even start with me," Lydia said, getting up from the table. "Remember, I got you those tickets to _Kinky Boots_."

"But not to _The Lion King_!" Fitz complained.

"You know they'll come back," Lydia shot back.

"But when!?" Fitz asked loudly. The twins giggled at his melodramatics while Lydia picked up Charlie from Jane's lap and Lizzie grabbed Scarlett from Bing's.

"You're fully capable of getting those tickets on your own, babe," Brandon said. "Stop giving her a hard time."

"But it's _fun_ ," Fitz insisted. Lydia grinned at Brandon and he winked at her.

"Anyway, we'll be back. We need to get these two into the bath. We apologize in advance if you see any tiny human streakers," Lizzie said as she nodded to Scarlett in her arms. "This one has the tendency to try and escape when I'm giving her a bath."

"Already clean!" Scarlett belted out and William threw his head back in laughter.

"Don't you start with me again, little missy!" Lizzie said as they started to head to the staircase. "You're most definitely not clean."

"Already clean," Scarlett said, sticking out her tongue.

"Scarlett Lee! We don't stick our tongues out at anybody," Bing said sternly. "You need to apologize to your Auntie Lizzie."

"I sorry," Scarlett said to Lizzie, a little pathetically.

Lizzie pushed out her bottom lip at Scarlett and ran a hand down her hair. "It's okay, sweetie. I forgive you."

"Hey, Lizzie," Jane called out and Lizzie paused at the staircase. "There's a rubber octopus on the sink. Use it in the bath and you'll be golden."

"Now you tell me," Lizzie said, throwing her free arm in the air.

"I can't give out all my secrets right away," Jane said. Lizzie shook her head at her before she went downstairs.

"Anything I need to know with this guy?" Lydia asked, adjusting him in her arms.

"Charlie loves baths," Bing said. "Don't you, buddy?"

"Bath! Bath! Bath!" Charlie exclaimed.

"Let's get you in one, then!" Lydia chuckled. "We'll be back!"

What Bing failed to tell Lydia about Charlie's love of baths was that he was very enthusiastic in the water. Soaked was an understatement for what Lydia was at the end of it all. Lizzie mostly stayed out of the line of fire and but got her fair share of splashes from Scarlett. After the sisters got the twins into their pajamas, they tag-teamed William and Bing in for story time. Lydia got a round of applause from the table at her appearance before Lizzie gave her a change of clothes. Once William and Bing came back up declaring that Charlie and Scarlett were fast asleep, the group spent a little longer catching up. They decided the next monthly dinner would be at the cabin in Tahoe since Gigi would be home. There were plans made to take Lydia out for her upcoming birthday in December. Soon enough, Jane and Bing called it a night so they could get some more packing in. Slowly, everybody else said their goodbyes and Lizzie and William were left to clean up the rest of the apartment.

* * *

 _Sunday, November 26th_

Jane and Bing's flight home was scheduled for just after two so most of the morning was reserved for scouring the apartment to make sure they had everything. There seemed to be an unofficial countdown between Lizzie and William as soon as they got up. They knew they would be getting their apartment back and have free rein of the place once more.

They had a close call last night when they were putting away the last of the dishes. Lizzie was stretching out on her toes to put something away on a high shelf when William came up behind her, taking the dish from her and putting it back. He didn't actively move away and Lizzie leaned her body against his. William pushed her hair to one side and bent down to press his lips to her neck while he moved his hands to her hips, giving them a light squeeze. She arched her neck as he continued his sweet torture until she couldn't stand to not be kissing him anymore.

Lizzie turned in his arms and her hands flew up to pull him down to her, their lips meeting in the middle. A groan of relief escaped from the back of his throat and he immediately lifted her up onto the counter. Lizzie grinned against his lips and tightened her legs around him, pulling him in even closer. Limiting themselves to the bedroom had obviously taken a toll on their patience. It was only a few minutes later that they heard the distinct sound of a throat clearing and they quickly untangled themselves from each other. Bing was standing in the living room and actively looking away but had an amused grin on his face. They were all thankful that it was him to walk in on them and not one of the twins.

Despite being caught last night, their playfulness only seemed to increase. The difference was that they were hyper-aware of where everybody was in the apartment. While they made breakfast, Lizzie would slyly brush her hand across his shoulders or back whenever she passed him. She even lightly pinched his butt once when nobody else was looking. He easily retaliated by leaning in a couple times while she was making scrambled eggs and whispered the dirty things he planned to do to her once Jane and Bing were gone. Lizzie had to put a temporary hold on their aggressive flirting when she nearly burned the eggs.

With the couple hours they had left, William and Lizzie tried to squeeze in as much time with Charlie and Scarlett as they could. In order to make sure Jane and Bing had everything, they turned scouring the apartment into a game of sorts. The twins thought it was funny to check under and behind the furniture with their Aunt and Uncle, going from room to room. Two tiny socks and one of Scarlett's hats were found in the process.

Soon enough, William was helping Bing bring up all the luggage down to the car. When they came back up, they found the twins crying with Jane hugging Scarlett and Lizzie on her knees wiping away the tears falling down Charlie's cheeks.

"What happened?" Bing asked worriedly as he rushed over to the kids.

"I told them it was time to go and they needed to say their goodbyes to Lizzie and William," Jane said, rubbing Scarlett's back as she tried to calm her down. Bing took her from Jane's arms and Scarlett started hiccupping through her tears, burying her face into his neck.

"I think they thought she meant permanently," Lizzie said quietly as William came down to her level. "I keep telling him we'll see him really soon."

"Hey, Charlie," William said softly to get his attention.

"I don't wanna go," Charlie sniffled. "I miss you."

"Oh, buddy. We're going to miss you, too. You know you'll see our faces next week, right?" William asked.

"Just like you see Aunt Caroline," Lizzie added. "We'll call you and your mom will put us on a screen and we'll get to wave hello to you."

"Really?" Charlie asked, his breath hitching a little.

"Really really," Lizzie smiled at him before glancing up at Scarlett, who had also stopped crying. "And we're going to see both of you in a month right after Christmas. We'll even have presents."

"I like presents!" Charlie lit up

"I like presents, too!" Scarlett added as Bing put her down on the ground next to Charlie. This was the best chance to say their goodbyes and keep them calm at the same time.

"I think we all like presents," Lizzie said tenderly, brushing her thumbs along both their cheeks. "It will be like you have two Christmases!"

"You know what else? When you come see us and the rest of the family, everything's going to be covered in snow where we'll be," William said to the twins.

"And your Auntie Lizzie is going to help get you into your snow clothes!" Jane said enthusiastically. Lizzie snorted a little at Jane already trying to pawn that job off on her.

"I'll be more than happy to help," Lizzie promised. "I'll even teach you two how to sled. I don't want to brag but I'm really good at it."

"What's that?" Charlie asked.

"Yea, what's that?" Scarlett asked after him.

"You'll just have to wait and see," Lizzie smiled. "So this is barely goodbye. It's more of a—"

"—See you soon," William finished.

"Exactly," Lizzie nodded.

"See you soon?" Charlie asked, looking up at his dad.

"You'll see them before you know it, Charlie," Bing said, ruffling Charlie's hair.

"So, are you two ready to go?" Jane asked. They both nodded, a little solemnly but in better shape than they were a few minutes ago.

"Can we have hugs?" Lizzie asked, holding out her arms. Charlie hurried into her arms and she hugged him as tightly as she could while William hugged Scarlett. They made a little show of switching places so they could hug the other twin, which caused some giggles. Lizzie stood up and brushed her knees off. "Alright! That's much better."

"Thank you for everything this week!" Jane said, hugging Lizzie while Bing and William hugged each other.

"No, thank you! It was such a pleasure to have you here this week," Lizzie said. "I'm looking forward to our weekly phone calls. We should have instituted it ages ago."

"Right? We're learning our lesson now," Jane said with a shrug.

"And Bing," Lizzie said, giving him a hug. "It's always amazing to see you and the kids. They are getting way too big."

"We're still trying to figure out how to keep them this small. No luck so far," Bing chuckled, picking up Scarlett as Jane picked up Charlie. "I'm sure they'll be even bigger when you see them in December."

William clapped Bing on the back. "Alright. You've got everything, right?"

"Luggage, check. Children, check. Husband, double check," Jane said teasingly as they slowly made their way to the door.

"We've looked through this whole place but we can mail anything you may have forgotten," Lizzie assured them.

"Let us know when you get in," William said, holding the door open for them.

"As always," Bing replied as he started to walk towards the elevator. He turned around and Scarlett waved her little hand over Bing's shoulder. William smiled and waved back.

"And now you're free to go back to watching TV anywhere in the apartment," Jane said to Lizzie with a gleam in her eye. Lizzie widened her eyes and pressed her lips together to prevent herself from blushing.

"Have a good flight, Jane," Lizzie said pointedly.

"Bye for now," Jane said. She and Charlie both waved at William leaning in the doorway as Bing held the elevator door open for them. They stepped inside, the doors slid closed, and William came back in the apartment, closing the door behind him.

"They're gone?" Lizzie asked.

"They are," William smirked, pushing himself off the door. "We have the apartment all to ourselves again."

"We're all alone?" Lizzie asked, feeding off his playfulness.

"Absolutely alone," William said. He reached behind him and pulled his shirt off over his head, balling it up and throwing it to the floor. "Now, take off your clothes."

"How impatient of you," Lizzie said, walking slowly backwards as he approached her. He kicked off his shoes and took off his socks as he advanced further.

"Take. Off. Your. Clothes," William repeated as he popped open the button on his jeans before unzipping them. He pushed them down his legs and stepped out of them so smoothly that Lizzie couldn't help but lick her lips in appreciation. Her legs hit the back of the couch in the living room and she stopped.

"You know this is only going to count as practice, right? I just hit the placebo pills this morning. I tossed them and you know…" Lizzie trailed off as he tucked his thumbs in his boxer briefs. He toyed with the band and lowered them to accentuate his Adonis belt.

"Elizabeth Darcy," William said lowly. "Do I have to ask again or will I be taking your clothes off myself?"

"Oh boy," Lizzie hummed, her eyes traveling up and down his body. "Do I get a choice?"

"For about ten more seconds. Either way, I'm about to take you over my shoulder and get you into a very long, _hot_ shower," William said, pausing inches in front of her. They stood there in silence and she could feel the air sizzling around them. How did he still have the ability to make her feel so weak in the knees after all these years? She didn't even want to question how easily he made her vibrate with need. The sight of his nearly naked body filled her mind with raunchy, lustful thoughts every time - thoughts of his large hands all over her, his weight on top of her, and how perfectly he fit between her thighs. She was so deep in her current lustful haze that she didn't register he was counting until he reached the end. "…nine, ten." William finished. "I can tell by the glazed look in your eyes that I'll be doing all the removing."

"Yes, please," Lizzie breathed. He laughed deeply before bending down, grabbing her legs and throwing her over his shoulder.

"I hope you're ready for lots of practice," William said cheekily.

"You know what they say, Mr. Darcy," Lizzie replied. "Practice makes perfect."

"Well said, Mrs. Darcy," William hummed. "Constant practice."

* * *

Notes: Another chapter done!

Thanks to Sarah, my beta, as always. Also thanks to Mags and Teresa for help with the extras. There will be a few extras from this chapter posted on the tumblr, now renamed dizzieslearningcurveseries.

Stay tuned for more!


	3. Moving On Up

_Summary: December is turning out to be a great month for more than just Lizzie and William_

 _Notes: Here is another chapter! I know it's been a while but I became busier than expected. Hopefully a few things in this chapter will make up for it ;)_

* * *

 _Sunday, December 3rd_

Lizzie knew that the month of December was going to be a busy one with the company's big move. She put aside three weeks to get packed up, moved and settled into the new place, with her employees' help. It was her goal to be finished by the 22nd so that she could give everybody the rest of the month off for the holidays.

Lizzie had spent the past week wrapping up smaller projects with clients, sending out mass reminder emails about the imminent move and spending time on the phone with the contractor to make sure everything would be finished in time. She finally got the confirmation just before leaving the offices on Friday night and she could barely contain her excitement when she told the employees who were still around. She intended to go to the offices on Sunday to check everything out and was all too happy when William offered to drive.

"Okay, so listen," Lizzie started as he parked in the small parking lot adjacent to her new office. He shut off the car and turned his body to look at her, giving her an amused look at her fast-talking. "This place is nowhere near the size of Pemberley Digital but I'm really thrilled because we're literally doubling in size and it's all our own. We still have all the decorating to do and get so much moved. There's nothing really impressive about it yet so just keep an open mind."

"Are you kidding me?" William asked. "Firstly, stop comparing your company to Pemberley Digital. It took years for us to expand and grow to what it is today. If anything, you're way ahead of the game. I'm beyond proud of you and I'm excited to see this place. Plus, I'm pretty sure I'll be seeing the finished offices more than a few times in the future."

Lizzie looked at him appreciatively. "Have I thanked you for discovering this place?"

"A few times," William said. Lizzie had come home a number of months ago complaining about three different project teams having scheduling issues since only had two spaces set up for filming. It had worked perfectly in the beginning when DEP was small, but as time went on, they had to improvise more often and use whatever quiet space they could find. William had casually suggested that she get more space. She sighed and wished out loud that it would be that easy before throwing herself on the couch next to him to pout. He offered a couple more ideas before she decided she would work on the scheduling problem in a more permanent manner.

During the next investors' meeting, she spent half the time discussing the business plan she made for more space. To keep on schedule with current projects and have the room for more, they needed to expand. The investors loved the proposal and agreed as she could find a place to fit her needs and their budgets. The search for such a place seemed dismal until William was driving home from work one night and spotted the building in question for sale. He took a couple pictures of the outside, made a call, and discovered it was put on the market only the week prior. It was also right under her budget. He hurried home and practically shoved the pictures and phone number in front of her face, thoroughly excited for her. She called the real estate agent right then, got an appointment to see the place the next day, and immediately saw the potential for it. She took a few pictures and sent the information to her investors, along with the building would fit with her business plan. They also saw the potential and gave her the go-ahead. She put down an offer by the end of the week and the building was officially hers two weeks later.

"I think I need to thank you a few more times," Lizzie said.

"I don't think I'll mind," William replied, the corners of his mouth lifting. He reached over and lightly rubbed her thigh. "Come on. You owe me a tour of your new offices."

"Good news! You just so happen to be in the company of an excellent tour guide," Lizzie said lightly, slipping her hand into his.

"Lucky me," William said as she led them to the front of the building. She took a step back on the sidewalk and held out her arms.

"Ok, picture this. There's going to be a marquee of _Decent Enough Productions_ above the doors. It's supposed be ready by the middle of this week. It took way too long to design but I love it. It's big enough to see as you're driving by but it's not completely obnoxious," Lizzie rambled as she dug the keys out of her bag. "I love our front doors, too. Is that ridiculous?"

"They're nice doors," William said, noting the frosted glass French doors.

"I'm having someone come out and etch the logo and hours onto it," Lizzie said, unlocking the door and ushering him inside before locking it behind her. "Seriously I thought there was a lot to do when I was first getting DEP started, but owning a building? I had to ask five different people what paint color they liked and what font looked best for the sign. Some of my employees want to know how big of a fridge we need for the break room, what new furniture we're getting, if we're getting new desk chairs…There's _so_ much."

"Breathe," William reminded her, gently grabbing her arms. She made a show of inhaling and exhaling before giving him a grateful look. "It may seem like there's a lot but once you start moving in here, you'll realize you've got it all under control. You've been on top of this from the beginning."

"Thank you," Lizzie said quietly.

"You're welcome," William replied, kissing her forehead.

"Okay, I owe you a kick-ass tour and we're only in the reception area," Lizzie said.

"I can definitely see the potential of it," William said, looking around. "With the right paint color and some comfortable chairs, it could be very inviting."

"Thank you for the tip, Will," Lizzie said, shaking her head.

"How about showing me your office?" William asked suggestively.

"Oh no, I'm saving the best for last," Lizzie teased, too excited to notice his innuendo.

He sighed and focused on the space. "Okay, well half the reason you were expanding was for more filming space so that should be an obvious one to show me. I think you mentioned something about recording booths," William said. "And the break room?"

"We have a full kitchen!" Lizzie exclaimed, making William laugh at her excitement.

"I adore you right now," William said warmly before offering his hand. "Take me wherever you want to take me."

"Ooh, interesting," Lizzie said, crossing her arms in front of her chest. It took her that moment to realize he was toying with her but in a good way. Whenever he did this, he was subtle about it at first but she would usually catch onto it. He would effortlessly and slowly build things up between them until neither could resist each other. This time, it had gone right over her head. She was so engrossed in showing him her new offices that she didn't clue in until that moment but she'd happily play this game with him. She would simply take her time and let him squirm a little.

"What?" William raised his eyebrows in question as he watched his wife's gaze clearly wandering down and then up his body.

"I'm trying to decide just how literally I should deal with your statement," Lizzie said coyly.

"I don't mean to be presumptuous but I'm kind of hoping you to take it _very_ literally," William played along.

"Well, Mr. Darcy," Lizzie hummed, grabbing his hand. "I guess you'll just have to wait until the end of the tour to see if I do."

"This just became the most anticipated office tour of my life," William smirked as she led him down the hall.

"Well, I _am_ a fantastic tour guide," Lizzie declared as she glanced over her shoulder, wiggling her eyebrows and, a little more subtly, her hips.

* * *

"The outside of the building is misleading. I didn't expect it to be so big in here," William said as they were leaving a third conference room. "You've really optimized the amount of space you have."

"My office isn't twenty feet from the elevator anymore, Katie has her own space now instead of us throwing a desk right out front, and our filming spaces are twice the size! There's so much," Lizzie said. "And I love the fact that we have an elevator, too. I don't _need_ it but having it is nice."

"It's definitely a…perk," William agreed, drawing out his words.

"Don't tease me," Lizzie said, pausing in her step and narrowing her eyes at him.

"Why would I be teasing you? An elevator provides all sorts of opportunities," William said with a pointed look. "How many people can it fit?"

"It's spacious," Lizzie managed. He was doing it again and she couldn't stop the flashbacks of the elevator back in their own building. They had gotten away with plenty in there over the past few years and only seemed to grow bolder with each other when influenced by lust or alcohol. Nothing had gotten as far as that time during his 29th birthday but William had been successful in making her legs wobble more than a few times.

"Good to know," William said simply, watching his effect on her, before they continued on.

"So, I decided to take a page out of your book since we're starting fresh here," Lizzie said, turning around and leading him as she walked slowly backwards.

"There's many pages in my book," William said playfully, holding onto her hands just in case. "Wait, let me guess. You're having food trucks come by twice a week."

"No way. That's silly," Lizzie scoffed. "I'll just send everybody over to you guys for that."

William arched an eyebrow at her before he continued, caressing her wrists with his thumbs out of habit. He could tell it was distracting her a little and he stopped his movements. "You're installing a pool on the roof."

"As much as I would love to have twice as many opportunities in watching you swim, wrong again," Lizzie said, glancing over her shoulder. They had almost reached the end of the hall, passing a handful of empty offices.

"I'll keep you aware of my swimming habits," William said before adding, "In case you'd like to get in some exercise of your own."

"That's quite generous of you," Lizzie said with a swallow as flashes of William in a fitted black speedo came to mind. Water was dripping down parts of his body she longed to get her hands on, his breathing was heavy from his rigorous swim, and his hair was an irresistible mess. Her brain was being downright cruel right now. "So, um, guess again."

"Hmmm. I already know you're changing the company's health insurance policy to a better one similar to ours at the beginning of the year," William stated and she nodded. "So, I give up."

"You know it's not as fun for me when you give up so easily," Lizzie said. "Maybe I should make it more interesting next time. Treat you with a _private_ reward, perhaps?"

"Once we get to your office…" William said deeply. Lizzie pressed her lips together at the obvious meaning in his comment but didn't want to show him that she wanted what he was implying just yet.

"Thank you for playing anyway," Lizzie said, trying to maintain equilibrium as she stopped at the last door with 'executive offices' taped to it. "The executive offices are spoken for but everybody is getting the chance to work where they're most comfortable. They can decorate their offices however they like so they can be the most productive, as long as it's work appropriate of course."

"It really does help create a great working environment," William offered.

"That's what I'm hoping. We were kind of limited before since they were already offices," Lizzie said, opening the door to an empty room lit up by windows on the left side of the room. There were two closed doors in the far left and right corner of the room and the left one had a post-it on it. "This is our own personal reception area. Katie's excited to have this much space to work with and actually get some sunlight. Andrea is getting the office on the right and mine is on the left."

"I still can't sneak into your office without passing her, apparently," William noticed.

"Nope," Lizzie laughed. "Though, it will depend on when you stop by. She _does_ get an hour for lunch."

"That should be just enough time," William teased. "As long as you give me enough warning."

"I'll keep that in mind," Lizzie said perceptively. "You know, I can't sneak into your office without talking to Mrs. Reynolds."

"True. Speaking of offices, I think it is time you show me yours," William said in a slightly demanding tone, walking over to what he assumed was her office. He got confirmation as he saw her name on the post-it note and he pointed to it.

"Mine," Lizzie said, lighting up as she walked up to him. She pressed her hands against his chest and leaned in close. "I think you're going to like it."

"I think I'm going to love it," William said roguishly before he opened the door. The only furniture in the room was a large desk and a plush-looking chair situated near the floor-to-ceiling windows of the office.

"I know it's not much to look at right now but you have to picture it. I was thinking of putting the couch over by this wall. Maybe frame it with the bookcases," Lizzie said animatedly, gesturing to one side of the room.

"Conveniently not in someone's eye-line when walking in," William noted. Lizzie glanced to him and smiled a little mischievously.

"I thought I'd put all the necessary work cabinets along this other wall," Lizzie continued, trying her best to stay on track and not give in to William's teasing just yet. She moved around the room and gesturing to where she was going to put things. "And as you can clearly see, I have a brand new desk and chair. The desk has so much more space and this might be the most comfortable chair ever," Lizzie fell back into the chair. "I know the view is not much to look at but –"

"You have a corner office," William said proudly. "You weren't kidding about more space. It's nearly twice the size. There's so much to work with."

"It is!" Lizzie said excitedly, getting back up and watching her husband's movements around the room.

"What's this lead to?" William asked, motioning to another door opposite of the windows.

"Look for yourself," Lizzie replied. He was intrigued by the playful tone in her voice and she leaned against the desk, gesturing for him to open it. He twisted the knob and pulled the door open, walking cautiously in to the darkened room and turning on the lights.

"A bathroom!" William exclaimed in surprise before walking back out to her office. "You have your own bathroom. _I_ don't even have my own bathroom."

"That's your loss," Lizzie gloated. He walked back in and she heard him pound on the marble countertop for a moment before emerging.

"Very sturdy counters. I like that," William smirked.

"I wanted the best," Lizzie replied with a smile, loving how playful he was right now. "It served as a connection to the other office and was too big for one person. We had the contractor split it in half and create two decent-sized bathrooms so we could have the extra privacy."

"Extra privacy," William said, his gaze focused on her as she hoisted herself up onto the desk and started subtly swinging her legs. "Could that also be considered a buffer to further muffle loud voices?"

"Yea, I yell a lot. I'm a mean boss," Lizzie teased, even though she knew exactly what he was alluding to.

"Sure you are. That's why you've had so many people leave over the past few years," William deadpanned. Lizzie shrugged, looking as" innocent as she could.

"There's one more perk," Lizzie said, making William stop in his slow saunter towards her. "Would you turn on the lights? The switch is behind you by the door."

"Sure," William said, flipping the switch on.

"And close the door," Lizzie added.

"You know you locked the front door and we're the only ones in here," William reminded her.

"Think of it as practice for another time," Lizzie said and he made no effort to hide his amusement as he closed the door. "As always, Mr. Darcy, you take direction quite well."

"I take direction from _you_ quite well, Mrs. Darcy," William corrected, sliding his hands into his pockets and walking slowly towards her. "Now, what is this perk that I needed to turn on the lights and close the door?"

"Do you see those two buttons near the window?" Lizzie asked, pointing in that direction.

"I do," William nodded.

"Would you please press the bottom one?"

"Since you asked so nicely," William said. Lizzie watched him in silence as he went over and pressed the button. Black shades started rolling down from the ceiling and covering up the entirety of the windows. "Blackout shades? In your office?"

"I actually had them installed for the whole place. There's a few benefits to them," Lizzie started as William approached her. "We can film in any part of the building, it will block out the sun on hot days, and—"

"—nobody will be able to see you fooling around with your husband," William finished, stopping in front of her. Seeing the spark of hunger in his eyes almost made her want to skip their usual foreplay banter. They were both antsy from lack of "practice" throughout the week due to her late work nights. She let out a small breath as he gently grabbed her knees and pushed her legs wide open before he stepped in close.

"What do you take me for?" Lizzie murmured as she ran a finger down his chest. "You think my primary objective to getting these shades installed in my office was so that I could have sex with my husband?"

"Maybe not your primary objective," William said. He followed the movement of her hand as she brought it down to the waistband of his jeans before she paused. His gaze locked with hers and he could see her struggling to keep from grinning. "Though I do believe you brought me here today so we could christen this office."

"What makes you think that?" Lizzie asked, hooking her legs around the back of his thighs. He didn't even bat an eyelash when she let her shoes fall to the floor.

"Oh, I don't know," William said lowly as he pulled her to the edge of the desk. "Maybe it's the blackout shades you had me lower," he paused as she pulled up his shirt a little to reveal a sliver of his stomach, brushing the tips of her fingers along his skin. "Or that you had me close the door."

"I don't think that's enough evidence to go on," Lizzie hummed, running her fingers along the surface of her desk. "Maybe I really wanted to show off my brand new desk."

"It's a very nice desk," William said casually, keeping his gaze on hers.

"So you approve," Lizzie said, letting out a shaky breath as his hands skimmed up her rib cage and back down.

"You know I do. You've deserved this for a long time," William said. "And I look forward to seeing your beautiful office completed."

"But?" Lizzie asked.

"You brought me here to break it in," William said knowingly. "Or maybe it was your chair you wanted to test out? I certainly wouldn't mind either. I'm sure we're both appreciate the lasting memory of it."

"You think I'll get flashbacks of what we may or may not do on this desk?"

William flashed her a smile. "No matter how many times you've paid me a late night office visit, I still think about that first time."

"It was pretty memorable," Lizzie said. She fell silent and watched him for a moment. She didn't know what was driving her crazier. The deep sound of his voice, his closeness, or the way his hands moved around her body as if he was seeking the perfect part of her to touch.

"Do you still have that garter belt?" William asked, his voice getting husky.

"You ripped that one in half," Lizzie reminded him. "You don't remember?"

William's eyes met hers in surprise. "Damn. I need to stop doing that."

"No, you don't," Lizzie toyed with her bottom lip. William quirked an eyebrow at her reaction and the corners of his lips twitched up. "You replaced it with an even nicer one. If you continue to do that, then I am all for your, shall we say, eagerness in the bedroom. Or hallway, to be more precise."

"Ohhhh, I remember that night now," William said as it dawned on him. "That was so _good_."

"It was more than good," Lizzie said sensually. Her eyes blatantly raked over his body and she wondered what was holding them back. She craved him and she already knew how he was feeling, especially with the way his eyes were boring into her.

"You're undressing me with your eyes," William said, moving his hands to her inner thighs. She squirmed under his touch, obviously ready for more.

"I could make the same accusation about you, sir," Lizzie said, leaning in.

"And you know what I'd say to that?" William murmured, glancing up and focusing on her lips.

She took a moment to answer. "What?"

"I am," William said as he traced a finger up the zipper of her jeans.

"Oh?" Lizzie asked, watching his movements. He slowly unzipped her zipper and she squirmed a little under his touch as he pulled away the material to reveal her pale blue underwear. She let out a shuddering breath as he slipped a hand beneath the material. Her eyelids fluttered and gripped his shoulder as he brushed his fingers slowly along her sex. He brought his gaze back up to hers and his eyes were darker and filled with lust. Neither broke eye contact as he continued his sweet torture. Lizzie whimpered and squirmed with his touch, digging her nails into his shoulder as the fire began to grow in the pit of her stomach. He leaned in, passed her lips, and grazed her cheek with his weekend stubble before stopping right near her ear.

"I can't stop thinking how fucking sexy you are with all this power at your fingertips," William breathed in her ear. There was something about being inside her new office that turned William on. He loved this powerful woman surrounding him in every way and he needed more of her. As he dipped two fingers inside her, she moaned before he captured her mouth, kissing her slowly. He matched the rhythm of his tongue against hers with the rhythm of his fingers. As the kiss became more passionate, she slid a hand in his hair and tightly grabbed a fistful. He groaned and crooked his fingers inside her, quickening the beat as he stroked her most sensitive spot. He could feel the desperation for her release in the way she moved her hips, seeking out more. Finally, he pressed his thumb against her clit and used just the right kind of pressure to bring her over the edge. She moaned and arched into him, holding onto him as the pleasure spread throughout her body.

"I need all of you. So much," Lizzie gasped as he removed his fingers.

"As you wish," he grinned. She slammed her hands on the desk as he yanked her jeans down her legs, bringing her pale blue underwear down with them. He worked quickly to undo his pants before she pulled off her shirt, tossing it aside. He kissed her hard and pulled her to the edge of the desk before pushing his pants and boxer briefs down to mid-thigh. He pulled her to the edge of the desk, moved between her legs, and buried himself inside her. Her hands moved to his back, grasping and grabbing fistfuls of his shirt as he created an intense rhythm between them.

He slammed his hips into hers, making her moan and cry out in passion. She finally managed to get his shirt off him and she slid her hands to his back, her fingertips digging in. Her legs hooked around the back of his thighs and pulled him in as deep as she could handle, making him groan. There was obvious urgency between them and the noises they were bringing out of each other was only fueling them further.

William slid one hand from her hip to the small of her back as he continued to drive into her. He pulled her bra down to expose her breasts and he watched her face as he palmed and massaged one. He skillfully knew what kind of pressure she could handle on all the sensitive parts of her body and wanted to push her more. She bucked her hips when he gently squeezed her nipple. Her breath caught in her throat when he did it a little harder, accompanying it with particular deep stroke. She was close and he was all too aware with the way her nails with scratching down his back and the way her whimpers became progressively higher pitched. He leaned into her and kissed her before sliding his lips to the spot behind her ear and sucking on her skin. She clutched onto him as she climaxed in his arms, letting out a shaky moan. She pulsed and contracted around him, pulling him in and pushing him to the edge. After only a few more erratic thrusts, he came hard and dropped his head to her shoulder as bliss overtook his body.

Their hands wandered across each other's bare skin while they waited for their breathing to slow down. Lizzie hummed as William pressed his lips to the crook of her neck before kissing his way up to her jaw. He slid his mouth to hers and kissed her softly before he touched his forehead to hers and opened his eyes. He watched as her eyes focused back on him and she gave him a soft smile as she moved her hands up and played with the hair at the nape of his neck.

"I think we've properly broken in my new desk," Lizzie said after a few moments.

"I don't know about that," William said with an exhale.

"Oh?" Lizzie raised her eyebrow in question.

"I may have to return when you're all settled in so I can sweep everything off it," William said with a gleam in his eye.

"Aren't you the one for dramatics," Lizzie laughed softly.

"You know you're the reason," William said, his fingers skimming along her outer thigh. "You always bring it out in me."

"You bring it out in me, too," Lizzie hummed, holding up her left hand. "I see the ring on my finger and I still get giddy knowing nobody else but me gets to experience this with you."

"We do have a lot of experience with each other," William said cheekily. "I could always use more, though."

"Oh yea?" Lizzie asked, leaning in closer.

"What are you thinking?" William asked.

"Home? Round two?" Lizzie suggested.

"Mmmhmm," William nodded. "Will you wear that garter belt?"

"Yea," Lizzie replied before giving him a teasing look. "But I'm on top next time."

"This day keeps getting better and better," William grinned.

* * *

 _Wednesday, December 6th_

One of the few benefits to packing up her company and moving was that Lizzie could end her day whenever she wanted. She wasn't strict about when her employees could arrive or leave but they all knew there was only so much time to get everything done.

After staying late the last two days, she called it a day just after 4:30 when she got a text from William. Sam was joining them for dinner after the two men planned to run an errand. When Sam and Charlotte moved to San Francisco, their visits had become more frequent. The first time Charlotte went on an overnight business trip, they had jokingly extended a dinner invitation to Sam, in case he didn't want to cook for himself. He took them up on the offer and it became a bit of a habit between them ever since. Of course, he extended the same invitation to William whenever Lizzie was gone.

She stopped by the store to get ingredients for dinner and went home, putting together a simple balsamic chicken dish before throwing it in the oven. She jumped in the shower and stood there, letting the rush of the hot water relax her after her active day. Once she got dressed and put her hair up, she went back into the kitchen to get started on the vegetables. William and Sam showed up shortly afterwards, both greeting her with big smiles.

"Hello there!" Lizzie said, noticing a box in Sam's hand.

"Good evening," William said, kissing Lizzie hello. "Sam thought you might like some cookies for dessert."

"Ooh! What kind?" Lizzie asked, peering inside the box. "Fancy Christmas ones! Very nice choice, Sam."

"Anything to put one in the holiday mood. Nice tree, by the way," Sam said, noticing the lit tree in the background.

"It was the first one we saw, actually," William said.

"Easiest Christmas tree shopping ever," Lizzie added as they high-fived each other.

"Do you need any help with dinner?" William asked, watching her.

"I don't, but thank you! The rice is ready to go," Lizzie said, gesturing to it on the counter. "And the chicken is almost done."

"It smells delicious," William said, brushing a hand down her arm before taking a seat next to Sam at the counter.

"So what were you two up to?" Lizzie asked, putting the vegetables in the microwave.

"I had to pick something up and wanted William's opinion on it," Sam said as he glanced sideways to him. "Actually, I'd like yours as well."

"I'm all ears," Lizzie said, facing him and leaning against the counter. Sam dug into his pocket and slid a black velvet box in front of her. She lifted her eyebrows and quickly looked at William, who wore a subtle smile.

"Sam, I love you but I'm very attached to this one," Lizzie remarked, gesturing to her husband. William snorted as Sam shook his head.

"Funny," Sam replied. He opened up the box to reveal two silver rings, both sharing a similar flourished design. The smaller ring had three tiny diamond lined up diagonally on both sides.

"Those are beautiful, Sam," Lizzie said, pressing a hand to her chest. She picked up the box to inspect them closer. "The detail is amazing."

"It's a Hawaiian design. I had to get it specially made and my dad helped me figure out what would look best," Sam sighed. "I know Charlotte wouldn't want a big diamond or anything so I'm hoping she'll like this."

"Oh, she will," Lizzie assured him, handing him back the box. "How long have you been thinking about this? You were just saying you had no plans to Lydia at the last dinner."

"I can't exactly say I'm planning to propose in front of the person I'm planning to propose to," Sam said. "And it's been on my mind more the last few months. One of us has brought it up a handful of times lately."

"Just in case you couldn't guess, you have my approval," Lizzie said, turning her head at the sound of the microwave going off.

"I told you," William said to Sam. She quickly pulled the vegetables out and set them down on the top of the oven before turning back around.

"Have you been conspiring and planning without me?" Lizzie asked, arching an eyebrow.

"Well…" William started before being interrupted by the oven timer.

"Hold on," Lizzie put a hand up before grabbing the oven mitts. "We're eating dinner and then you're filling me in. Would you two please set the table?"

"We'll be happy to," Sam said.

* * *

"Okay," Lizzie said once she served dinner. "Tell me everything you've been keeping from me."

" _Everything_ everything?" William teased and she rolled her eyes. "It's not much, honestly. Sam talked to me a couple weeks ago about his intentions and wanted me to come with him to pick up the rings. He also asked me to think about something to help with the proposal."

"You don't have an idea?" Lizzie asked.

"Actually, we kind of do but we wanted to get your opinion about it," Sam said.

"This seems big from the look in your eyes," Lizzie says, settling into her seat.

"Before we tell you the whole thing, you're about to be spoiled," William said leadingly. Lizzie looked at him expectantly. "I was planning to take you to Hawaii for our third wedding anniversary."

"Hawaii!" Lizzie exclaimed. "When were you planning to tell me this?"

"Probably Christmas," William admitted. "But things are little more time sensitive now. There's more to plan."

"So what would you say to a couples' vacation on the big island?" Sam asked.

"I'd say sign me up! We've gone to a couple places with Fitz and Brandon and it's always fun," Lizzie said. "Hawaii with you and Charlotte would be a blast! That's the island you're from, right?"

"I am. That's exactly why we'd be going there. I wanted to propose to her where I grew up," Sam said fondly. "Though I think she'll say yes no matter where we are."

"You're not planning to ask in front of your family or something are you?" Lizzie asked as she furrowed her brows. "Don't take this the wrong way because that idea is perfect for some people, but I'm pretty sure Charlotte would hate it."

"No no no!" Sam said quickly. "It would just be the two of us. I _know_ she wouldn't like that."

"It seems like you have it all planned out," Lizzie said, looking between the two men. "Or is there more?"

"A lot more, actually," Sam said. "I need your Charlotte expertise."

"You've become quite an expert yourself over the years," Lizzie reassured him.

"Thank you," Sam said with relief. "I have to be one hundred percent sure that what I'm planning to do is okay."

Lizzie looked at him, confused. "Wait, what do you want to do?" she asked slowly.

"I want to marry her in Hawaii," Sam said simply.

"What!? You're joking!" Lizzie exclaimed, sitting forward in her chair. She stared at him. "You're not joking?" He shook his head and Lizzie glanced to William, who was now smiling. "You want to propose _and_ marry her on this vacation without her knowing _anything_?"

"I do, actually. For as long as I've been with Charlotte, she's never really been into the details. At least, when it doesn't have to do with work. I'm the one who found our apartment _and_ decorated it. She's a very practical woman and I love that about her," Sam said with a hint of warmth. "You see, she mentioned at the dinner that she'd elope if her family was there and she's told me a few times that she's never really imagined what she would want for her wedding. "Neither of us really like the spotlight, so a big wedding wouldn't be our thing."

"Wow, okay, I see where you're coming from," Lizzie said, bouncing a little in her seat. "This is exciting!"

"I'm glad you think so. How do think Charlotte would feel about this?" Sam asked.

"I know some girls plan their weddings down to the tiniest detail from when they're young but that wasn't either of us. It may have been partly an act of rebellion against our mothers. They were constantly telling us how important having a husband was. We were more independent than that, obviously," Lizzie said proudly before quickly glancing to her husband before looking back to Sam. "That's not to say I don't love being married, especially because my husband doesn't mess with my need for independence. Charlotte _is_ practical. She wouldn't like all the attention that weddings usually bring. She always points the spotlight away from her, so I think she'd go for it."

"I think taking away the anticipation and extra stress that a wedding normally brings may help, as well," William added.

"That's a good point," Sam exhaled before he continued. "One of the only details I've ever wanted when I got married was that it be in Hawaii, specifically on the island I was born and raised. If she truly doesn't care about where and when, then I think this can work. I just need your support. I can plan everything from the proposal to making sure our families are there."

"Of course you have our support, one hundred percent," Lizzie said.

"And you don't have to do all the work. We will help however you need, of course. We'll get Fitz and Brandon in on this and I'm sure they'll be more than happy to lend a hand," William said.

"That would be great. You know, this requires keeping a lot from Charlotte," Sam said. "She can't be suspicious of anything."

"Well, I think you need to start dropping subtle hints about proposing. You guys have been talking about it, right?" Lizzie asked. He nodded. "Don't be obvious or anything, but it will help her out. I'm sure she'll talk to me about it so I'll report back what I can."

"Thank you, Lizzie," Sam said. "Anything will help."

"I waited to propose until I was sure she was ready," William said, taking Lizzie's hand and brushing his finger across her rings. "We got to a comfortable point where we could joke about it and that's how I knew it was the right time. Then it was all a matter of figuring out how to propose."

"You'll find the right time, Sam," Lizzie assured him. "Do you know how you're going to propose?"

"I have an idea for that I'd like to run by you too, actually. I want to make sure it doesn't sound too simple or anything," Sam said.

"We'd love to hear it," William said while Lizzie nodded beside him.

"There's this Hawaiian floral custom…"

* * *

 _December 12th, 2017_

Lydia wanted to do something with the whole group for her birthday since it was the first official one she was celebrating since moving to San Francisco. She asked everybody for ideas during the previous dinner and Fitz suggested a restaurant that was attached to a 21-and-over bowling alley. There was something highly appealing about an adult-only bowling alley and she happily agreed to the idea.

The plan was to meet at Mission Bowling Club just after 6 pm so they would have enough time to enjoy dinner. Lizzie and William made special arrangements to have a small cake brought out for Lydia while the table sang happy birthday to her. Afterwards, Lydia opened up gifts and thoroughly thanked each person. The bill was paid and they gravitated towards the bowling alley, where Fitz reserved two lanes.

"Having fun?" Lizzie asked, scooting over to Lydia while William went to go get them each a pair of bowling shoes.

"I am. I'm so happy I got my birthday off!" Lydia bounced in her chair.

"Have you heard anything yet?" Lizzie asked. Lydia showed up at their apartment last Thursday squealing with excitement that she had a job interview for the next day. After congratulating her, both Lizzie and William went directly into business mode, giving her a number of tips on how to answer interview questions. She came by the next day after her interview and brought a bottle of wine, thanking them for all their help. It was all a matter of waiting to hear now.

"No, but I'm not surprised. They were still interviewing people yesterday," Lydia said. "I keep telling myself not to think about it, but it's super hard."

"It's like when someone says to ignore the elephant in the room and then all you can think about is that elephant," Lizzie said.

"Yes! They really seemed to like everything I was saying. I've been there long enough that I know their facial expressions," Lydia said.

"And you deserve it. You know it does no good to obsess about it, though," Lizzie said, warning her gently.

"You're right. No more thinking about it! Today is all about the LY-DEE-YA! I'm with friends and family and we're totes going to have fun!" Lydia said with a decisive nod.

"There you go!" Lizzie said, patting her sister's thigh. "Bowling is always fun, especially with William."

William was a notoriously bad bowler. Having rarely had the opportunity as a child, he didn't pick up a bowling ball until he met Bing and Fitz. As hard as he practiced, he never seemed to improve. It took him a while to get over that fact, too. Despite the jokes were usually told before the game started, he realized that his friends were actually rooting for him. Lizzie once told him how endearing she thought it was that he never gave up, even when his score stayed embarrassingly low. From then on, he concentrated more on getting a smile on his wife's face than focusing on his score. There was little improvement on his game but he enjoyed himself much more.

"I can't believe you found a weakness in Darcinator," Lydia teased before raising her voice as Fitz took a seat on the leather couch across from them. "This is the swankiest bowling alley I've ever been to."

"We don't mess around here, Little B," Fitz replied, taking off his shoes to slip on his red and blue bowling shoes. "We bowl with style."

"He likes that we can enjoy drinks at the lanes," William said, handing pairs of shoes to Lizzie and Lydia. "Your shoes, ladies."

"Thank you," Lizzie said sweetly as William sat down beside her.

"Speaking of," Brandon said as he finished putting on his shoes. "Drinks anyone? First round's on me!"

Once he got everybody's requests, he headed over to the bar to get the drinks started. Charlotte and Sam went over to help and brought all the drinks back, putting them down on the small table between the two couches.

"So, are you ready for me to kick your booty, Mr. Darcy?" Lizzie teased.

"You never know. Maybe I'll double my score from last time," William said, adjusting his laces.

"Which would what? Give you a score of sixty?" Fitz taunted him jokingly, getting a high-five from Charlotte and Lizzie.

"Don't be mean, babe. He tries," Brandon said sympathetically.

"Right," Sam piped up. "Not everybody has the ability to throw a ball in a straight line."

"Don't listen to them," Lizzie nudged her husband. "I think you could try to break fifty this time."

"Seriously? You've never gotten above fifty?" Lydia asked in astonishment.

"I have not," William said simply.

"You are in for a true birthday treat," Fitz said. "It is entertaining to bowl with him. Lizzie, too."

"Oh, I've seen her victory dance plenty of times," Lydia said, grinning when Lizzie stuck her tongue out at her. She turned back to William. "All jokes aside, I'm glad you came."

"I wouldn't miss your birthday celebration just because I'm a poor bowler," William said. "Gigi's even more upset she's missing it now."

"It's no biggie. I'll see her in Tahoe," Lydia said, waving it off. "When is she flying in?"

"Next Saturday," William said, brightening at the thought. "Lizzie and I are picking her up from the airport and then we're heading straight to the cabin."

"Have you seen the weather report?" Fitz asked. "It sounds we're going to get plenty of snow."

"It's going to be a good ski season," William replied.

"As long as there's enough so I can take Scarlett and Charlie out sledding," Lizzie said.

"You'll be more than set," Fitz assured her.

"Good," Lizzie said, standing up. "Now, who's ready to bowl?"

* * *

"Four strikes in a row! I'm on fire!" Lizzie roared in triumph, spinning around and pumping her hand in the air. She high-fived Charlotte, who was bowling right next to her, before she started her happy dance. She wiggled her hips and rolled her shoulders before strutting back to the couch, spinning once before sitting down next to William and gloating

"You are a very silly woman," William said lightly.

"You looooove me," Lizzie dragged out with glee.

"I do," William said, leaning in and giving her a congratulatory kiss. They were too caught up in each other to notice Lydia, rolling her eyes and fake-gagging as she got up to take her turn.

"Maybe you should just bowl a perfect game then," William said with a gleam in his eye.

"What do I get if I do?" Lizzie asked as William leaned in closer.

"A celebration not appropriate for the general public," William murmured low enough for only her to hear.

"And if I don't?"

"I'm sure we'll find a good excuse, either way," William said with a wink.

* * *

"Forty-seven! Forty-seven! Forty-seven!" the group chanted. William was taking his last turn of the first game and he was close to surpassing his highest score yet. All he had to do was knock down two pins to do it.

"No pressure," he mumbled to himself as he picked up his red ball. Lizzie convinced him to pick that color at the beginning of the night because it brought good luck to him before. He was about to find out if it was going to do it again. He made a show of getting into position, knowing it made his wife smile every time. The group hushed each other and he took a deep breath, swinging his arm and throwing the ball. There must have been a curve to his throw because it slowly but surely drifted into the gutter just before reaching the pins. A collective groan came from behind him.

"You've got one more throw, William," Sam said as William waited for the ball to return.

"Shake it off, Darce. You got this," Fitz said, clapping his hands together.

"I won't think any less of you if you want to use the bumpers," Lydia teased.

"It won't feel authentic that way," William shook his head, ignoring the snickers.

"You can do it, Will! I believe in you," Lizzie said. "It's just a measly two pins."

William glanced at her and she blew him a quick kiss for extra luck. He stepped up to the lane again and got in position. He held up the ball and envisioned the path it needed to go down to hit two pins. The group quieted down as he crouched a little and gently tossed the ball. Time seemed to slow down as it rolled down the lane, closer and closer to the pins. He closed his eyes at the last second, heard the distinct sound of pins being knocked down, and then a roar of excitement. He cautiously opened his eyes and noticed only three pins were left standing.

His final score was fifty-four.

He was nearly knocked over as Fitz, Brandon, and Sam hurried over, jostling and congratulating him. The girls were clapping and laughing when they saw the looks of confusion from patrons at the other four lanes. To strangers, his score was nothing to celebrate about but to his friends, they were overjoyed for him. Lizzie jumped up and bounced over to her husband as the guys parted and made room for her. She launched into his arms and he lifted her off the floor as she kissed him, making it the most enthusiastic one of the night. They ignored the hoots and howls and she beamed at him when they pulled away.

"I am so proud of you!" Lizzie said warmly once her feet touched the floor. "I _knew_ you could do it."

"I did not intend to do that," William replied, still not quite believing it.

Lizzie stood up on her toes and kissed his cheek before whispering in his ear. "And now we have something proper to celebrate."

"Okay, lovebirds! Enough flirting," Fitz exclaimed.

"Another game?" Lizzie asked, turning to face him.

"You know it!" Fitz said, throwing a finger gun her way. "Are you in, Darcy?"

"I doubt I'll top that, but I'm willing to try," William said. "Let me get the next round of drinks first. Who wants what?"

* * *

"How's the moving coming along, Lizzie?" Sam asked Lizzie when she came back from her turn. "Last time I saw you, you were debating paint colors."

"Paint colors were picked and everything has been painted!" Lizzie said, sounding relieved. "We got our marquee installed outside yesterday and it looks ah-mazing!"

"I drove by this morning," William said and Lizzie looked surprised. "It looked really good and would totally catch anybody's eye."

"We had lot of our equipment was moved over yesterday but still have more packing up to do," Lizzie said.

"I sympathize," Charlotte piped up. "The good thing is that you're simply moving and not opening up a new location so you can use a lot of what you already have."

"It is helpful but we have twice as much space we need to fill up," Lizzie said. "Plus, some of the furniture I had was rented specifically for that office space. I had to order new chairs and desks and other furniture. We have a huge delivery on Thursday so I'm hoping to finish packing up my own office tomorrow."

"Is it never-ending?" Charlotte asked, sounding sympathetic.

"Yes!" Lizzie groaned. "How did I accumulate so much in such a short amount of time?"

"It's been a few years, Lizzie," William reminded her.

"What has?" Lydia asked, returning from the lane.

"Since I started DEP," Lizzie answered as William got up to take his turn. "I'm just venting about having to pack up so much."

"I'm excited to see your new offices once you're done," Lydia said. Her phone started buzzing before she took her seat and pulled it out of her pocket.

"You're welcome to–" Lizzie stopped when Lydia put her hand up to quiet her down.

"It's the theater!" Lydia breathed, looking to her sister.

"Pick it up!" Lizzie exclaimed, quickly shushing everybody else as she answered. William and Fitz both stopped themselves from throwing their bowling balls down the lane. They both hurried over and waited in anticipation with the rest of the group as Lydia was on the phone.

"—yes, I understand," Lydia paused. "Yes." Lizzie's shoulders slumped a fraction. Lydia's face wasn't giving anything away but it didn't sound like good news from the sound of it. "Thank you again for the opportunity…I will. Thank you."

Lydia hung up the phone and stared at the screen for a moment.

"Lydia?" Lizzie asking softly, sitting forward in her seat.

Lydia glanced to her and her face was unreadable until she let out a giddy laugh. "Holy crap! I'm the newest Assistant Stage Manager."

"You got it?!" Lizzie jumped up from her seat.

"I got it!" Lydia confirmed. The sisters started bouncing up and down with each other, squealing with happiness. For the second time that evening, the group exploded with noise. None of them cared if they were being too loud as they each offered congratulation to Lydia. Fitz swooped her up in a big bear hug and she laughed happily at his enthusiasm.

"I'd say we should go out celebrating but we're already doing that!" Fitz said. "Happy birthday to you! What a perfect birthday gift."

"It really is, isn't it?" Lizzie said, beaming as William gave her a hug.

"You want to tell us what they said?" William suggested after letting her know how proud he was of her.

"Okay. Let me breathe for a second," Lydia said as the rest of them all took a seat on the couches in their section, ready to hear the story in detail. "So firstly, they apologized for calling on my day off…"

* * *

 _Saturday, December 23rd_

Lizzie and William got their car all packed up for Tahoe and they double-checked the apartment to see if they were forgetting anything. Lizzie grabbed snacks for the road and then they were off, heading to the airport to pick up Gigi.

"I'm glad that we're spending Christmas in Tahoe this year," William said out of the blue.

"Me too," Lizzie replied. "It'll be a big change from going home."

"A good change, right? You're not having similar feelings like you did at Thanksgiving?" William asked.

"Not at all," Lizzie assured him. "And those feelings are long gone, thanks to you."

"That's what I'm here for. I want my wife to be as happy as she can be," William said tenderly.

"You're succeeding quite well, sir," Lizzie hummed. "Hey, I was wondering what we were doing about decorating. It's kind of late to get a tree."

"Didn't I tell you? I had the cabin professionally decorated. Gigi and I have had it done in the past when we would go up for Christmas," William said as he pulled off the airport exit.

"What? You've never told me this before," Lizzie said, looking surprised.

"It's nice to arrive and have it all set up. There's no worry about needing to find a nice-looking tree," William said, glancing sideways to her. "You've never wondered?"

"I never thought about it," Lizzie furrowed her brows. "I mean, we didn't go during the holidays last year and we spent Christmas in New York the year before because of the twins."

"Ouch. I'm wounded you don't remember the hard work I didn't do," William teased.

"Ha ha." Lizzie stuck her tongue out at him. "I'll make sure to pay more attention this year. Happy now?"

"Very," William replied. "I think you'll like it. I opted for the homey classic Christmas package."

William pulled into the short-term airport lot and easily found a spot. She shivered from the wind when she got out of the car and hurried over to William, who happily let her burrow into his side as they walked to the international terminal.

"We should have made a sign," William said.

"Or dress like a driver?" Lizzie asked, arching an eyebrow. William gave her the most innocent expression and she snickered. "I think your height gives you away."

"I guess you're right," William conceded as he tapped his feet against the ground. Lizzie watched him fidget for a moment before nudging him to get his attention.

"It's not much longer," Lizzie said softly.

"Hmm?" William hummed.

"Until you can see Gigi. Her plane's already landed and you know it takes some time to get through customs," Lizzie said.

"I know," William said.

"You know I can tell when you're excited, right? I'm kind of an expert at this point," Lizzie said "And I would be, too. It's hard enough seeing Jane only a handful of times a year but that's what happens when she lives on the East Coast. You and Gigi are really close and being separated for nearly eight months is difficult."

"I admit that it's been strange to not have her randomly walk into my office and ask me to lunch or see her at our monthly dinners. I'm happy that she's loving what she's doing in London but it's hard not to miss her," William said before adding. "You've definitely made it easier."

"Isn't that what I'm here for?" Lizzie asked playfully and he smiled. "As long as you're both happy. That's what's important. You'll feel best when you see her again," Lizzie said and he nodded. "Plus, I'm sure you'll fall into old patterns where you tease and taunt each other relentlessly and I'll be the one threatening to separate you two within an hour."

William laughed. "Annoying each other is what siblings do best."

"Isn't it? We'll have to step up our parenting game when we have a couple of kids," Lizzie said and William raised an eyebrow. "Make sure they see how well we get along with our siblings more than how often we torment each other."

"I think once kids are in the mix, Gigi will be more occupied trying to be the fun aunt," William said.

"I have no doubts," Lizzie said. "She and Lydia are going to be interesting influences."

"Indeed," William agreed.

There was a small influx of people coming out of the international terminal exit and the two of them focused their attention on the doors, waiting for Gigi. Lizzie had to stop herself from fidgeting as she stood there but waiting for someone was always exhilarating to her. As much as she hated when she or William went away on business, the best part was coming home.

Lizzie spotted Gigi first as she walked out with her bag slung on her shoulder. It took Gigi a moment to see them and then her face completely lit up. She made a beeline for them, bouncing as her steps quickened.

"William!" Gigi squealed, dropping her bag next to them as she flung her arms around him. William laughed lightly and stumbled back a step at her enthusiasm, wrapping his arms around her and hugging her. Lizzie smiled at the sweet display before Gigi started talking a mile a minute. "Oh my god, I missed you two so much! My flight was ridiculously long and I just wanted to be here already!"

"We missed you, too. It's not quite the same without you," William said affectionately, letting go of her a moment later. Gigi turned to Lizzie and immediately gave her a tight hug while William picked up her bag.

"We have so much to catch up on!" Gigi said brightly, pulling away with a huge smile on her face.

"For one, your new hairstyle! I love the bangs!" Lizzie said as Gigi ran a hand through her shorter hair.

"I did it last week! Completely on the whim," Gigi said, looping her arm through Lizzie's as they started to head towards the parking lot. "I walked in and told the hairdresser to change it up. I haven't had it this short in forever. I'm still getting used to the bangs, too. I haven't had them since I was a kid."

"You look very lovely, Gigi. It's a good look on you," William said.

"Thank you, big brother. You're looking quite dashing yourself, as always," Gigi replied, elbowing him.

"Very little effort on my part," William joked.

"Liar. He changed three times," Lizzie said. William narrowed his eyes at her while Gigi laughed. "So, are you ready for some more snow and cold weather?"

"I totally am. I'm in desperate need of a vacay and family time," Gigi said. "Plus, it hasn't snowed yet in London. The weather has been teetering for the past two weeks but no snow!"

"Don't worry. I've been checking the weather and it's been snowing pretty steadily for the past few days in Tahoe. We'll have fresh powder when we go skiing," William said.

"Oh good! I have been looking forward to hitting the slopes with you for weeks," Gigi admitted before glancing to Lizzie. "And getting in some quality sister time with you."

"Me too," Lizzie said. "Maybe you can even squeeze in some time for sledding with me and the twins?"

"Ooh, yes! You don't have to ask me twice!" Gigi replied eagerly. They reached the car within a few minutes and William put her luggage in the back.

"Take the front, Gigi," Lizzie suggested.

"Really? You don't mind?" Gigi asked, reaching for the passenger door.

"Psshh. Are you kidding me? I get enough of this guy as it is," Lizzie said as he came up to her side.

"Oh, I'm feeling loved now," William said. He pretended to look hurt and Lizzie rubbed his back to comfort him.

"Don't worry, William, I will happily sit in the front with you," Gigi said.

"I'm glad someone will," William said pointedly, side-eying his wife while she purposely avoided eye contact with him. Gigi giggled.

"I missed this," Gigi sighed. "I'm so happy to be home."

"We're very happy you're here," William said warmly before glancing to his watch. "Shall we get going? We're going to get there after dark, as it is."

"Why not," Gigi said. "I haven't sat on my butt enough today."

"You have to put in the work before you have fun," Lizzie said, getting into the back seat.

"Really? That means I'm due for a _lot_ of fun," Gigi chuckled. "And maybe a couple drinks, too."

"We'll stop at that store that has your favorite wine when we get to Tahoe," William said.

"Oh my god! I didn't even think of that," Gigi said, hitting her hands on the dashboard in excitement.

"Everybody buckled up?" William asked, turning on the car.

"Yes, Dad," Lizzie and Gigi said simultaneously before Lizzie nearly shouted. "Jinx! You owe me a coke!"

"Damn! I'm rusty! Remind me when we get there," Gigi said to Lizzie before looking at her brother and hitting his shoulder. "Times a wastin', William! Let's get a move on."

"This should be an interesting road trip," William remarked, glancing over his shoulder as he backed out of the parking space.

"It will be fun!" Gigi said, searching through her bag for a moment. After a moment, she made a little noise and pulled out her phone. "Especially since I'm in charge of the music!"

"Since when?" William asked, raising an eyebrow at his sister.

"Since I'm the passenger!" Gigi said.

"Those are the road trip rules," Lizzie agreed as Gigi set up her iPhone. She turned on the radio and turned up the volume before she even started music.

"As driver, I have a right to volume control," William said, adjusting it before he turned onto the road.

"Fine. You'll love it at any volume. Be prepared to hear some out of this world British pop," Gigi grinned. William laughed when she turned on the Spice Girls and he saw Lizzie in the rearview mirror start to bounce her shoulders to the beat.

"I really missed you," William said sincerely. "More than you know."

"I missed you too, big brother," Gigi replied, squeezing his arm. "My days aren't the same without you in them."

"We're really going to have to make the most of this vacation," William said. "Get in some proper Darcy family time."

"I would really like that," Gigi said warmly before twisting in her seat and looking between him and Lizzie. "With the both of you."

Lizzie gave her sister-in-law a genuine smile. "I think that can be arranged."

* * *

 _Notes: An enormous thanks to Sarah for telling me I need to beef up a few different scenes in this chapter. The end result is so much better than what it was originally._

 _Hope you enjoyed it! Stay tuned for more and there should be at least one extra on the official tumblr :)_


	4. In The Right Direction

_Summary: William and Lizzie spend the holidays with family and friends before they get back to work._

* * *

 _Notes: I've been busier that I expected but I've been making it my goal to post one chapter a month. I made it just under the wire! I know it's not ideal but I'm writing the best I can and Sarah is making it even better. Thank you for your patience!_

* * *

"You really outdid yourself this year, William," Gigi said as they walked into the cabin. The outside of the cabin was adorned with Christmas decorations, from lights framing the house to wreaths hanging on the garage and front doors. A couple of the smaller trees even had strands of lights wrapped around them as well. It looked even more beautiful with freshly fallen snow covering every surface, providing some natural icicle decorations hanging from the roof.

"I wanted it to look nice for the entire family," William said, putting her suitcase down near the wall before moving his own to the staircase.

"It looks more than nice," Gigi said, looking around. The inside of the cabin was decked out more than the outside. A large Christmas tree was decorated and sitting between the living room and dining room. Garland with little lights buried within adorned all the wooden beams on the ceiling, the stairway, and the fireplace. More lights framed the large windows opposite of the entrance and the pillows on the furniture had been temporarily replaced with red and white ones. The only thing that was missing were the Christmas stockings and those would be added by Mrs. Bennet once they arrived.

"It smells like Christmas in here!" Lizzie said as she came inside, wiping her shoes off on the mat and dropping her suitcase next to William's. Her cheeks were already pink from the cold and she brightened at seeing the place. "It _looks_ like Christmas in here. Everybody is going to love this, William! I do."

"There should be more decorations upstairs too. We'll be at capacity this year for the first time in a long time," William said, a note of pride in his voice.

"It's nice, right?" Gigi asked, elbowing him gently. He glanced to her and nodded with a subtle smile playing on his lips.

"I'm going to get the rest of the stuff from the car so we can get settled before we start with dinner," William said as he headed for the door. He ran one hand along Lizzie's back as she turned to go upstairs with her suitcase and she looked over her shoulder before continuing on.

"Did you assign bedrooms this year?" Gigi asked jokingly before he opened the door.

"We're in the master," William said, pointing between him and Lizzie as she paused at the top stair. "I figured Jane and Bing would take the room with the bunk beds because of the twins. Um, Fitz and Bing tend to use the studio over the garage and I thought Thomas and Fran would enjoy staying in the guest house."

"Right," Gigi stared at him for a moment, giving him a familiar look that told he was being a dorky brother again. She heard Lizzie snicker and caught her slipping out of the room from the corner of her eye. She simply shook her head. "I missed you."

"I- I missed you too. It's been a while since we've dealt with this many guests. I had to plan it," William said, smiling sheepishly and rubbing the back of his neck. "The bedrooms down here are free and the one across from Jane and Bing is too."

"I'll take the bedroom down here. I can deal with my jet lag a little better that way," Gigi said, grabbing her luggage.

"Good idea," William said before zipping up his jacket and heading outside. Once he got the rest of the stuff from the car and locked it, he went back inside and shook the snow out of his hair before slipping off his jacket. It wasn't snowing steadily enough for him to stop and put chains on their tires to prevent from sliding across the roads. Lizzie made sure to text the rest of the group to inform them about the road conditions. He put away some of the groceries in the kitchen before making his way upstairs, noting that Lizzie brought up his luggage. He found her in the den, standing with her back to him and admiring another Christmas tree, larger than the first. He quietly snuck up behind her and wrapped his arms around her, kissing her temple.

"Hey beautiful," William said softly. "How are you doing?"

"Good. Much happier now that we're here," Lizzie replied, leaning against him as he rested his chin on the top of her head. "I should be asking you the same thing after that drive. Are you tired?"

"I'm fine. I had you and Gigi to keep me alert," William said. "Your duets were quite entertaining."

"You can't not sing along to the songs you know," Lizzie said matter-of-factly. "It's like an unwritten rule of road trips."

"These rules…are they written down or is this a similar situation to Lydia mentioning the reasons why you were perpetually single?" William asked playfully. Lizzie laughed a little.

"You should know them by _now_ , especially with me as your road trip sidekick." Lizzie said, turning around to face him.

William half-smiled at her. "I've been on enough road trips with you to be well-versed in your unwritten rules. It's actually one of my favorite things when we're on the road."

"You know one thing I enjoy about our road trips?"

"What's that?" William asked.

"Unwinding afterwards," Lizzie said.

"I think I know just the thing for that," William said as she sidled into his side. "Why don't we unpack a little and then we change into more comfortable clothes, build a fire, and make some dinner?"

"I would like that very much," Lizzie said as they walked towards their bedroom.

"What can I say? I know what my wife likes," William said with confidence. "And what she deserves."

"By your logic, I deserve everything," Lizzie joked, bumping into his side.

"You do," William said firmly. "It's my job to make you aware of that every chance I get."

* * *

 _December 24th, 2017_

Lizzie shuffled down to the kitchen and grabbed a blanket off the couch, wrapping it around herself to keep herself warm. It had snowed another two inches overnight and she was chilly. She found William starting on breakfast and took a seat at the table, groaning a little as she sat down.

"Morning," Lizzie mumbled.

"Good morning. You shouldn't have pushed yourself so hard this past week," William said, pulling out breakfast ingredients from the fridge. He had noticed she was moving a little slower while they were packing for their trip to Tahoe but didn't say anything. She spent most of Friday tracking down a lost moving truck full of office items before unloading half of it herself, with the help of only two other employees. They had gotten everything in just before two and spent the rest of the afternoon unpacking and moving around furniture. She had locked the doors and headed home just before six, took a quick shower and threw on a nice dress for William's office Christmas party.

"I know. But now I only have to worry about unpacking the boxes in my office when we get back now," Lizzie replied as she sat down. "And I had fun at your party."

"But you're exhausted now," William said sympathetically. "The drive probably didn't help you."

"It's a good thing we're on vacation now," Lizzie said as he walked over to her.

"Good thing, indeed," William agreed as he started to gently massage her shoulders.

"Oh, that feels good," Lizzie hummed. "I need a massage after the last few weeks."

"Maybe even a full body massage," William said lowly. Lizzie glanced over her shoulder to see a flicker of something in her husband's eyes. She beckoned him and he crouched down, stopping inches from her face as she turned her body towards him in the chair.

"Are you going to give me one?" Lizzie asked, giving him a spirited look.

"If you'd like me to," William waggled his eyebrows. He leaned in to kiss her and Lizzie brought a hand up, cupping it around the back of his neck. Gigi walked in a moment later and cleared her throat before she sat down across from Lizzie.

"I see the happy couple is as happy as ever," Gigi said lightly as they broke apart. She reached across the table and grabbed a grape from the bowl before tossing it in her mouth.

"Good morning, Gigi," William said, ignoring his sister's teasing looks. "Have you been up long?"

"Unfortunately. I tried to sleep longer but my body is used to London time," Gigi replied. "I was just reading until I heard you two talking."

"Anything good?" Lizzie asked.

"I'm enjoying it. One of those 'when will they' stories. It's what I can concentrate on with how I'm feeling," Gigi shrugged. "Jet lag is killer when you've been in another time zone for so long!"

"Well, you can relax today. Lydia, Thomas, and Fran aren't getting in until the evening so I've made no plans," William said before he went back to work on breakfast. "You could sit on the couch and read all day if you wanted to."

"That is _so_ tempting," Gigi said. "What are you makin', brother?"

"Omelets and toast however you like. The fruit's in front of you," William gestured. "There's orange and apple juice in the fridge. Oh, and coffee. Unless you'd like some tea, Gigi."

"Coffee is for the morning and tea is for the afternoon, William," Gigi said, catching his teasing tone.

"I apologize. I'm not familiar with the life of a Londoner," William said, making Lizzie snort. Gigi quickly picked a grape out of the bowl on the table and threw it at him. William was too quick and caught it in his mouth, impressing both Lizzie and his sister.

"That was kind of awesome," Lizzie remarked, amazed.

"I'll say. My brother has hidden talents," Gigi said in surprise.

"You can close your mouths. It was a lucky catch," William said, downplaying it.

"Of course it was," Gigi said.

"Best not to question it," Lizzie said casually. "I'll get us both coffee."

"Make mine black," Gigi said, thanking her. "I need to get rid of this jet lag sooner rather than later."

* * *

"I'll be right back," William said. After they had finished breakfast and cleaned the dishes, Lizzie, William, and Gigi migrated into the living room. They were watching _It's a Wonderful Life_ on television and both girls kept moving to get in more comfortable positions. He knew Lizzie was sore and Gigi was dealing with a serious case of jet lag. It was clear to William what needed to be done. He excused himself from the room for a few moments to go upstairs before returning and pausing the TV. "I was going to wait to do this but it's obvious that you both need it now."

"What's that?" Lizzie asked, noting the envelopes in his hand.

It's an early Christmas present," William said. "I didn't really want to ruin the surprise but I'm really just telling you a few hours earlier than planned."

Lizzie instantly started pleading playfully. "Pleeeease? Pretty please? Pretty please tell us." Gigi joined in and clasped her hands together, silently begging and bouncing in her seat.

William sighed and quirked an eyebrow at their antics. "What am I going to do with the two of you?"

"Don't toy with us, William," Lizzie gave him a mock warning look and William chuckled.

He handed them each an envelope and the two women exchanged eager looks before opening them up.

"A full body massage! Oh, I could kiss you!" Lizzie exclaimed before choosing to do just that. She put down the envelope and grabbed his face, pulling him in close and kissing him softly. She kept it short because of the company and smiled at him when they broke apart. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," William replied, pleased to see her happy about the gift.

"I'm not going to kiss you but I do love you for this," Gigi said, reaching over and hugging him. "This is seriously my favorite place here! I can't believe you remembered."

"Of course I would," William said with a little smile. "You're both scheduled for two-hour massages today after lunch. I was planning to take you two to lunch and then drop you off so I can get a couple of errands done. In the meantime, we can finish the movie and take it easy until we need to leave."

"Good. I had no intentions of doing anything productive today," Gigi said, grabbing the remote and going back to the smaller couch, covering herself with a blanket.

"She has the right idea," Lizzie said. She tugged on William's arm and he took her cue to get up from the coffee table, taking a seat next to her. She grabbed the other blanket and rested her head on her husband's leg, squirming until she got comfortable. "Okay, ready."

"Good. My favorite scene is coming up!" Gigi grinned.

"The phone call scene?" Lizzie asked, glancing at her.

"Seriously! Is there any other scene better than that?" Gigi said enthusiastically.

"It's gold," Lizzie agreed. "The way they get closer and closer. Ugh!"

"Ladies?" said William, trying to get their attention. "As much as I love the discussion about upcoming attractions, do you mind if we actually watch it?"

"Oh! Sorry," Gigi said with a sheepish look before unpausing it.

"Every year," William mumbled under his breath.

* * *

After lunch, William dropped off Lizzie and Gigi at the spa with promises to return when they were finished. He had a couple of things to pick up for tomorrow and headed to the closest shopping center. Despite the chilly temperatures, it appeared that many were out running errands on Christmas Eve Day. Particularly parents with children and expectant mothers. At least, that's all William was noticing. Siblings happily singing Christmas carols and holding their parents' hands as they passed him, two pregnant women chatting in a store and temporarily blocking the aisle he was trying to go down, and a toddler who stared at him in wonder while he stood in line. He offered her a smile and she smiled back before giggling and hiding her face in her mother's neck. As he entered the last store, he held the door open for a mother and little baby sleeping in a stroller.

It was hard not to notice and even harder not to imagine himself in their position. More and more lately, his mind had been wandering to the idea of children ever since he and Lizzie had decided to start a family. They had agreed not to let the baby-making process change things between them and it hadn't so far. They only made the decision a month ago but he had hoped their wait would be a short one. Still, he couldn't stop the pang of disappointment when he heard that familiar groan of annoyance Lizzie would make whenever her time of the month came; this time, a little earlier than she expected and on her first day off after such a hectic week.

William knew he was being impatient. He knew it was illogical to think Lizzie could get pregnant so quickly. He had done the research. He couldn't help but do a little research. His curious mind wanted to know things like how long the average woman took to get pregnant once stopping birth control. Of course, he'd never tell Lizzie he looked that up.

It had to be the holidays getting to him. They were a time for family and it had only been him and Gigi for so long. Their usual tradition had been to retreat to Tahoe during the holidays, spend as much time with each other as they could, and get out on the slopes. It made the holidays more bearable, especially during those first few years without their parents.

When Lizzie came along, everything changed. She instantly made the two of them feel part of a bigger family and it was wonderful. Lizzie had filled a void his parents left and she helped him feel more comfortable in his own skin again. She opened up parts of him that he thought were closed off for good. Being surrounded by her own family each Christmas brought back precious memories of happier times with his parents. Watching Lizzie's family slowly grow made him crave the same thing. He was eager for that prospect and when she said she was ready, something expanded within him. He was simply realizing today that maybe he was _too_ eager. They had made a promise to each other that it wouldn't change things between them and he was in danger of letting it overtake his thoughts. He would have to put them to the back of his mind so he could enjoy every moment with his wife without anything holding him back or distracting him and he resolved to do just that from now on.

* * *

After William picked up a much more relaxed Lizzie and Gigi from the spa, he took them back to the cabin and made sure they drank plenty of water. Lydia, and Mr. and Mrs. Bennet arrived shortly before dinner and he helped them all get settled in. Christmas Eve dinner was a success and Mrs. Bennet surprised everyone with homemade chocolate chip and peppermint cookies for dessert. Afterwards, they gathered in the living room and watched _A Christmas Story_. While it was another must-watch for the Bennet family, only Lydia and William made it to the end. Mr. and Mrs Bennet excused themselves halfway through the movie and both Lizzie and Gigi fell asleep, still relaxed from their massages. Lydia and William cleaned up the living room after guiding Gigi the right way to her bedroom. William didn't bother to wake Lizzie up and simply carried her upstairs to bed. Once he put all the Christmas presents under the tree upstairs, he returned to their bedroom and changed into warm pajamas. He slid into bed and smiled to himself when his wife instinctively curled into his side. He kissed the top of her head and whispered goodnight before drifting off to sleep.

Christmas Day came and went in a flash. Too much delicious food was eaten throughout the day and nobody made excuses for themselves. Presents were opened in the morning and worn or played with in the afternoon. The family spent at least an hour on Domino with Jane and Bing and the rest of the Lee family, although Caroline barely made an appearance and Signore Hair was nowhere to be seen.

Lizzie promised William that she had more presents for him but he'd have to wait a bit longer for them. They declared some time to themselves when there was a break in the snowy weather and the sun peaked through the clouds. They threw on their coats and other layers and took a walk by the lake, their joined hands tucked in William's coat pocket and talking of nothing consequential. He cleared a bench of snow and they sat for a while, enjoying the peace and quiet of the lake. Too soon, the sun disappeared behind the clouds again and the threat of snow was imminent. Before they headed back, Lizzie pulled her husband in for a long and slow kiss. By the time they broke apart, the first flakes had begun to fall.

"I suppose we should go back," William said as he peered up.

"I suppose we should," Lizzie said, sighing as he kissed each of her pinkened cheeks. They stood up and dusted off the freshly fallen snow before they began to head back. He tucked their joined hands back into his jacket pocket and she leaned into him as they leisurely walked back. "Merry Christmas, Mr. Darcy."

William kissed her temple before murmuring, "Merry Christmas to you too, Mrs. Darcy."

* * *

Over the next two days, William and Gigi hit the slopes with an eager Lydia, who was hoping to learn how to ski. Lizzie's parents chose to stay behind at the cabin on both days and Lizzie didn't even attempt to coerce either of them to come with them. Mrs. Bennet was baking enough delicious treats to feed an army while Mr. Bennet was engrossed in a rare collector's edition book about trains that William gave him for Christmas.

Lydia picked up the skiing basics surprisingly better than her older sister and she was making it down the bunny slopes on the first day with only two falls under her belt. Lizzie was rather impressed with her sister's skills and she even watched the tail end of her last run when she left the comfort of the lodge fire to watch from the deck. On the second day, while Lydia convinced Gigi to take her to a more challenging slopes, William and Lizzie practiced sledding in preparation for the twins' arrival. They were exhausted by the end of the afternoon from trudging up the hill so many times but loved every minute of it.

They met up with the equally worn-out Lydia and Gigi at the lodge just as the sun was starting to set and headed back to the cabin. It was a delight to return to a roaring fire and dinner in the oven. After hot showers and getting into comfortable clothes, they all sat down for a nice, quiet dinner.

Lizzie felt like it was the calm before the storm since their friends and the Lees were all arriving tomorrow. It wasn't long afterwards that everybody retreated to their own bedrooms, all too tired to make an effort in spending quality time with each other. William built a small fire and the two of them laid in bed, snuggling under the covers and watching the snow fall outside until they fell asleep.

* * *

 _December 28th, 2017_

Fitz, Brandon, Sam, and Charlotte were all due to arrive sometime mid-morning so Lizzie and William were making sure the bedrooms were all set for guests. Gigi couldn't seem to sit still and Lizzie knew it was because she was looking forward to seeing Fitz. She put her energy to good use and took charge of the two empty bedrooms in the main house, making all the beds with Lydia.

"I need you to do me a little favor," William began as he and Lizzie were making the bed in the studio above the garage. She glanced up from stuffing a pillow into a pillow case and he continued. "Could you distract Charlotte for a little while once she and Sam get here?"

"Is this Hawaii related?" Lizzie asked curiously.

"It is," William replied, a bit evasively. She looked at him and studied his face for a few moments but he wasn't giving anything away.

"You're terrible," Lizzie pouted. She caught the split second twitch of his lips and she shook her head. "Do you need Fitz and Brandon, too?"

"At least one of them," William said, tossing the last pillow to the head of the bed.

"As long as you fill me in later," Lizzie threatened. "I'll help."

"I promise," William said with a smile, smoothing out the bed.

* * *

Distracting Charlotte turned out to be easier than expected. She and Sam were the first to arrive and they had just enough time to settle into their room before joining everybody in the living room. The sound of a horn signaled a car pulling up and everybody except Mr. and Mrs. Bennet rushed to put on their jackets to go outside. William and Sam immediately went to help Brandon with their things so they could slip into the studio to talk while Fitz and Gigi conveniently caused a scene.

"Gigi D!" Fitz shouted, throwing his arms out. "Get over here!"

"Fitz!" Gigi squealed, running with a little skip in her step. She practically threw herself into his arms and he spun her around as they laughed with joy. "Oh my god. It's so good to get a real hug from you! I missed you, Fitz."

"I missed you too! You look thinner. Are you eating enough over there? You better be," Fitz said, putting her down.

"Oh, shut up!" Gigi laughed, slapping his arm. "I'm eating three meals a day. I'm simply in good shape from walking everywhere. London is a city for walking."

"That's what I like to hear," Fitz said before looking around to see if William was in the vicinity. "Now, speaking of good shape, you never finished the story about that weekend with the hot Swiss dude."

"Wait, what is _this_ about?" Charlotte asked, raising her eyebrows in interest.

"Hey, you never told me about this guy!" Lizzie said with a glare.

"Geez, can't a girl have a little fun once in a while?" Gigi asked casually.

"Totes! You just need to share the deets," Lydia said, linking arms with her.

"Let's get inside so you can spill," Fitz said, nudging and herding the girls towards the main house. He quickly glanced over at Lizzie and winked at her. She realized that he was in on the game of distracting Charlotte and the rest of the girls and he had found a weak spot that would guarantee plenty of time for William. She gave him a thankful look and followed the group inside for warmer temperatures and juicy stories.

* * *

Jane and Bing and the twins arrived late in the afternoon and Mrs. Bennet turned it into a big fanfare, wanting everybody to watch the kids open the rest of their presents in front of everybody. The kids were so exhausted from jet lag and the time change that they fell asleep before getting through everything. Jane and Bing put them to bed and returned in time to open the rest and exchange gifts with everybody. William and Lizzie didn't get a moment alone with each other until they were getting ready for bed.

When Lizzie asked William what the three of them had accomplished, he proceeded to tell her the complex plans for the trip. While the plan was to be in Hawaii for less than a week, Sam had Charlotte believing that the trip would be lasting for two so they would have time for a honeymoon. Fitz and Brandon had graciously offered their timeshare in Fiji and helped Sam find a great deal on plane tickets since it wasn't peak season for traveling to the South Pacific. Both families had been notified and had happily stepped up to take care of anything not already being covered by Sam or William.

"—so all you really need to do is enjoy the trip," William finished up.

"And make believe I'm going to Hawaii for two weeks," Lizzie added, pulling back the covers of the bed.

"Well, we _could_ if you wanted to," William said teasingly.

"Oh sure. That wouldn't cut into your LA trip at all," Lizzie reminded him as she climbed into bed. "Besides, four days away from the new offices seems to be reasonable. I have no idea what the new year will bring the company."

"I think…" William started, grabbing her hand and tugging her over to him. She gave him a sly look and crawled into his lap. "…The upcoming year will bring some wonderful opportunities for the both of us."

"I think so, too," Lizzie nodded in agreement. She placed her hands on either side of his neck and leaned in to kiss him softly. "You know I have another job to do besides enjoy myself in Hawaii?"

"Oh? Does it have to do with me?" William asked jokingly.

"Not everything has to do with you, sir. Even if we're celebrating our third wedding anniversary there," Lizzie snorted, climbing out of his lap and settling onto her side. "I'll have to help Charlotte find something to wear. I'm not even sure what I should be wearing to a surprise wedding."

"I'll be looking at you, regardless," William said warmly.

"What? _You_ stare? Never," Lizzie teased.

"Funny," William said flatly before he kissed the top of her head. They laid there in silence for a few minutes, listening to the stillness of the night and the lack of noise coming from the rest of the house.

Lizzie was the one to break the silence. "You know, I'm onto you, Will."

"What? What did I do?" William asked in surprise.

"I know you're planning something for my birthday too. That's why you didn't want me in the same room," Lizzie answered.

"I…No. I needed you to distract Charlotte," William said in a huff.

"Fitz had total control of that situation," Lizzie said, looking at him. "It's fine. I did something big for you on your thirtieth birthday. I kind of assumed you would do the same."

"That's rather presumptuous of you," William said with a raised eyebrow.

"Just tell me how many days I should expect to take off work and if we're going alone and I won't bug you again about details," Lizzie said in a negotiating tone. "Will. William," Lizzie kept on poking him so she could get him to look at her; she know he'd cave if she did. "William Fitzwilliam Darcy."

He sighed and met her gaze. "It's on your birthday weekend. You can take off part of or all of that Friday and we won't be alone. Happy now?"

Lizzie looked gleeful. "Yep."

"I'm glad one of us is," William muttered. Lizzie laughed and pulled herself up to face him, kissing him on the lips until he responded. He brought a hand up and wrapped it around the back of her neck, making sure the kiss lasted as long as it did. She rested her forehead against his when they finally broke away.

"If it makes you feel better, you've barely given anything away. You simply made me aware so I'm prepared," Lizzie said. "I will still love wherever we're going and with whomever we're celebrating with."

"That's all I need to hear," William murmured, brushing his fingers across her cheek.

"I thought so," Lizzie smiled before lying back down on his shoulder. William wrapped an arm around her and she snuggled in closer.

"I love you," William whispered.

"Love you too," Lizzie whispered back.

* * *

 _December 31st, 2015_

"Come _on_ , Scarlett," Lizzie said in exasperation as the toddler struggled with her. Over the past three days, she had been helping get Charlie and Scarlett ready whenever they wanted to go outside. The appeal of the snow made that desire for the two toddlers quite often. Lizzie learned pretty quickly that Charlie was the easier one to dress. That is, when he actually let her. He usually wanted Bing or William to do it and then he would be ready in a few minutes. Scarlett, on the other hand, was antsy and never stood still long enough for Lizzie to get more than one item of clothing at a time. She didn't dared look at William because if she did, she'd see him struggling to keep in that smug little grin of his.

"Okay, Scarlett," Lizzie stopped, dropping her hands to her lap. "You win. You don't have to wear your jacket."

"Yay!" Scarlett jumped up and down. Jane whipped her head to look disapprovingly at her sister while she was wrapping a scarf around Charlie.

"Lizzie!" Jane scolded.

"Don't worry, Jane," Lizzie said reassuringly. "Scarlett's not going sledding with us."

Jane held back a smile and just barely nodded at her, giving tacit approval to Lizzie's strategy.

"But I wanna sled!" Scarlett pouted.

"I'm sorry, sweetie. Little girls who don't wear their warm clothes can't go sledding. It's the rules," Lizzie said, shrugging at her niece. "I don't make them. I just follow them."

Lizzie and Jane watched Scarlett and waited for the inevitable meltdown but it never came. Scarlett simply stomped her foot and gave up her fight. It only took a few minutes to get the twins completely dressed and ready before they were temporarily handed off to Bing and William.

"I've got to hand it to you," Jane started, bundling herself up. "Scarlett can be tricky but you seem to have her figured out."

"She can't win with me every time," Lizzie said, pulling on her gloves. "She's like a tiny version of Lydia and we know Lydia well."

"She really is!" Jane said. "She has the same energy. Charlie is like the polar opposite but he get caught up in her whirlwind sometimes."

"You've got some truly adorable kids, Jane." Lizzie said, zipping up her jacket. "Speaking of, shall we go join them?"

"Yes! I'm so glad they really enjoy sledding," Jane said fondly. "And they love going with you."

"We'll have to push them even harder today then," Lizzie said. "Make sure they fall asleep as soon as their heads hit their pillows."

"So you've figured out my plan," Jane said, a bit mischievously. They both laughed as they headed outside to join the others for a day of snowy weather and sledding.

* * *

It was ten minutes to midnight and most of the houseguests in the Darcy cabin were still up, waiting for the final countdown of the New Year. The twins were put to bed at their regular time and Mr. and Mrs. Bennet had called it a night by ten o'clock. Everybody else was enjoying the quiet affair, having a few drinks and occasionally watching the entertainment on the television.

William had been deep in conversation with Sam and Fitz when Lizzie handed them all flutes of champagne before sliding her arm around his waist.

"Are you conspiring over here?" Lizzie asked casually.

"Aren't we always?" Sam replied with a twinkle in his eye.

"Fitz, I think Sam is hanging out with you too much. He's sounding just like you," Lizzie joked.

"He's stealing my best lines!" Fitz said, bringing his flute of champagne up to his lips.

"No! That's for the toast!" Lizzie said quickly, causing Fitz to stop.

"Sorry," Fitz apologized, bringing the glass back down to his side. Brandon caught his attention from across the room and Fitz shrugged before flashing him a sheepish smile.

"I suppose I should get to it," William chuckled before clearing his throat and clinking his glass. Everybody sitting stood up to face him and he smiled at them when he had the room's attention. "I hope everyone is having a good time this evening."

"We're not at work, Darce. Read the room. You know we're having a good time," Fitz said cheekily. William rolled his eyes at him and he heard Lizzie snicker.

" _Anyway_ , I wanted…Actually, we wanted…" William corrected himself and put his arm around his wife's waist. "…to thank everyone for being able to join us. I don't think I can remember the last time this cabin has been filled with this many people. I can safely say it has been a joy to be surrounded by our family and friends during the holidays. It has been particularly wonderful to have my sister home right now, even for the short time that she is," William said, nodding and raising his glass when his sister smiled and raised hers. "This past year has brought forth many changes to each and every one of us that paved the way for much more. I can only hope that this upcoming year is even better than the last. Happy New Year, everyone!"

"Happy New Year!" everybody replied as they clinked glasses. Soon enough, the final countdown was being broadcast and they counted down, ready to celebrate. As soon as the clock struck midnight, there was a cheer from the group before they exchanged hugs and kisses. Jane and Bing hurried upstairs to check on the twins as the fireworks started out on the lake. William was standing behind Lizzie and had his arms wrapped around her, occasionally kissing her temple or cheek as the fireworks went off. The rest of the group staying inside and watched in silence. Spending the first few minutes with family and friends while watching the sky light up felt like the perfect way to bring in the New Year. William gave Lizzie a gentle squeeze and she looked back to smile at him. He had a feeling that it was going to be a memorable year.

* * *

 _January 1st, 2018_

Lizzie and William didn't make it into bed until nearly one am but she found herself awake as the sun began to filter into their room. The most surprising thing was that she felt completely refreshed. She looked to William next to her and he was still fast asleep, a hint of a smile playing on the corners of his lips. She adored that expression on her husband. He looked so boyish and relaxed and it usually meant he was dreaming of something pleasant. She laid there for a few moments and watched the steady rise and fall of his chest before coming to the conclusion that he would need some help in waking up. Now would be the perfect time to give him his last Christmas present.

She slipped out of bed without waking him, grabbed a blanket, and wrapped it around herself. She took a quick glance outside and noticed there was some freshly fallen snow on the balcony. There was more snow this year than previous years, but she liked it. It provided more excuses for tea and snuggling with her husband. She hesitated in closing the curtains when she saw how the sun lit him up, accentuating the golden hue of his skin. Letting out a small appreciative sigh, Lizzie pulled them closed before walking into the bathroom to change.

When she emerged, she was thankful to see that William was still asleep. She hurried across the cold floor on her tiptoes, holding down the oversized button-down shirt she wore to cover any bit of bare skin she could. Lifting the duvet, she got back into bed as quietly as she could. He stirred as she moved above him and she stopped until he relaxed. She straddled him without touching his sides and leaned down close to his ear, pressing one hand to his pillow to keep herself steady.

"Will," Lizzie whispered softly before grazing her fingertips across his parted lips. He licked his lips and pressed them together but didn't wake. She whispered his name again and nipped at his earlobe. "It's time to wake up."

A low noise escaped William's throat, a sign that he was slowly waking up. She hummed his name and her gentle plea once more before running her fingers through his mussed up hair, feeling him move beneath her. She pulled back and watched a smile slowly grow on his face before his eyes fluttered open.

"Good morning," Lizzie said warmly, pushing her hands against his bare chest and settling on his thighs before arranging the sheets to cover her thighs.

"Morning," William said gruffly as he rubbed his hands down his face. "To what do I owe the pleasure of this beautiful wake-up call?"

"It's a new year," Lizzie said, leaning forward a little. "I thought you'd like me to be the first thing you see."

"You'd be right," William replied. Lizzie watched as his gaze traveled up and down her body and she waited until his eyes met hers. "Are you wearing _my_ shirt you gave me for Christmas?"

"Yes and you'll be happy to know it's quite comfortable," Lizzie said playfully. William snorted and laid his hands down on her lower thighs, slowly moving them up and trying to pull away the sheet. Lizzie pushed away his hands and shook her head. "No peeking."

"No…peeking?" William asked in confusion, furrowing his brows.

"At your last Christmas present," Lizzie said. "Don't you remember?"

"I recall you teasing me about having to wait until later," William said. He sat up, quickly kissed her, and adjusted the pillow behind him before scooting back and resting against the headboard. Then he wrapped his hands around the back of her knees and pulled her forward, making her gasp in delight. It was obvious just how awake her husband was and she caught the pleased look in his eyes as he maneuvered her. She felt that same spark begin to flow within her as she made herself comfortable on top of him. "Much better."

"Was I too far away from you?" Lizzie joked, resting her arms on his shoulders.

"Very," William exhaled. He brushed his fingers along the outside of her lower thighs as he spoke. "May I have my Christmas present now?"

"You may," Lizzie said, toying with the hairs on the back of his neck. "The question is if you want me to unwrap it for you or if you want to unwrap it yourself."

"Why do you ask a question you already know the answer to?" William asked.

"Because I love to hold you in suspense for just a little bit longer than necessary," Lizzie said smugly. "So…who gets the honors?"

"Considering it's my present, I'll do the unwrapping," William said, eying the way his shirt enveloped her. "Even though I love the way you look in this."

"I have a feeling you might love your present more," Lizzie said with a little smile.

"You know I will," William murmured. Lizzie watched the movement of his hands as he reached forward and unbuttoned the first button. He leaned in and pressed his lips to the sliver of skin now exposed. She let out a little breath as he kissed his way up the column of her throat and she arched her neck as he made his way to the spot just below her ear. She slid a hand into his hair and grabbed a fistful as he nipped at her skin. He skillfully began to unbutton the rest of her shirt with one hand and without looking. She felt the mixture of cool air and the heat from his body as he pushed the shirt down her arms, letting it pool behind her. A little whimper escaped her and she opened her eyes when he stopped and pulled away to look at her.

"Damn," William breathed as he leaned against the headboard, dropping his hands to her thighs. Lizzie was wearing a holly-colored silk and black lace lingerie set that accentuated her porcelain skin. The bra plunged low in the middle and the beautiful balcony design with the layered silk covering the bottom half was partially what made her buy it in the first place. Her matching underwear gave the viewer the allusion that she was showing more skin through the lace with the Brazilian design. It was sexy without being overly so.

"I couldn't resist when I saw it," Lizzie said. "I bought it for you as much as I did for myself."

"There's nothing wrong with a little…indulgence," William said huskily, brushing his fingers along the scalloped edges of her bra. "I'm torn."

"Between?" Lizzie asked curiously.

"Committing this look to memory and taking my sweet time," William said, returning his gaze to her own. "Or ripping this off and having my way with you."

Lizzie thought about it. They were both irresistible offers. She knew both would result in his hands all over her and an incredible amount of pleasure. Except that sometimes when she dressed in lingerie like this, she liked to be in control. She loved bringing William to his knees and begging for more. The urge was strong right now. Between his obvious growing desire for her that was getting her own blood pumping and that darkening look of need in his eyes, she knew he wouldn't be able to say no.

"Or…" Lizzie began as she pressed her hands to his chest. She could feel his steady heartbeat as she lowered one hand slowly while keeping her focus on him. His breath quickened as her fingers slipped beneath the band of his boxer-briefs and he dropped his head against the headboard, groaning as she wrapped her fingers around him. "…You can sit back and enjoy the rest of your last Christmas present."

"The rest?" William swallowed. Lizzie nodded and let go of him. She tugged on his boxer-briefs and he lifted his hips, helping her remove them. She flung them away and took a moment to blatantly appreciate her husband's very naked body. She placed a single kiss on the center of his chest before she slowly worked her way down, subtly wiggling her hips to give him something to watch. She pulled her hair to one side and looked up at him through her eyelashes, teasing him by tracing her tongue across her lips. "Lizzie…"

She didn't let him finish his thought as she grabbed the base of him and gave him the gentlest squeeze. His hips jerked under her touch and a thrill went through her veins, loving how easily she could bring him pleasure. Teasing him a little further, she darted her tongue out and licked his tip. William let out a rumbling noise and something sparked in the pit of her belly. She took him in her mouth and that rumble turned into a deep groan. He slid his fingers through her hair and grabbed a fistful, holding onto her as she tasted every inch she could. She could feel him throbbing for her and that spark inside her began to roar to life. There was the need for more steadily rising between them and just the thought of what was coming made her moan. William's grip tightened and he tugged her hair a bit before growling her name. She released him and she barely had time to sit up before he grabbed her waist and flipped them over.

"Are you in a hurry to end this?" William asked roughly.

"No but maybe I can help move it along," Lizzie teased, reaching behind and unhooking her bra. She shrugged out of it and dangled it in the air beside him. He took it from her hands and tossed it over his shoulder before diving into her neck, making her laugh. It quickly turned into open-mouthed kisses and he worked his way down past her collar bone to the valley of her breasts. She sighed softly as he brought his lips to her peak and dragging his tongue in circles around her nipple. He cupped her other breast and massaged her, giving each of them equal attention. Her hips bucked when he lightly pinched one nipple and bit the other. He dragged the tip of his tongue to her other breast to give it the same attention and slid a hand down her stomach before slipping into her underwear. She couldn't stop the breathy 'yes' that escaped her as he traced her outer sex with his fingers and she felt his lips curl up against her.

She closed her eyes and became lost in the sensation of his hands and mouth. She truly adored this man above her. Lizzie gripped at the sheets on the bed as William brought her closer and closer to the edge. She bit the inside of her cheek to keep from making too much noise, for fear someone in the house would hear them. Another flick of his thumb and her mind went blank as her eyes rolled to the back of her head. He was winding her up with each inner stroke and she was whimpering for relief. Finally, he moved his fingers in such a perfect way that her back arched with the bliss spreading throughout her. William brought her down slowly as her body hummed with pleasure, then he slid her underwear down her legs and tossed them aside with the rest of their discarded clothing.

"I love you," William whispered tenderly, settling between her legs. A smile spread across her face and she whispered it back before pulling him down to kiss her. She ran her hands through his hair before sliding her arms around his neck as he entered her slowly. He set a slower rhythm between them and thrust into her in a way that she could feel every part of him. She moaned into his mouth and lifted her legs, wrapping them behind his back and locking her ankles. There was so much confidence and strength coming from him in every stroke and it was intoxicating. She squeezed her legs around him and rocked her hips, pushing him deeper inside her and dragging out those sweet noises from her husband's lips.

William bent down and kissed her with a languid passion that she got lost in. All she could process was the weight of his slick body above her own, the growing friction between them, and him nipping at her lips. When she felt his hand ghosting down her overheated skin to where they were joined, she slammed her eyes shut as her hips snapped into his from his feather-light touch. She was right there teetering on the edge and she grabbed his back, feeling his muscles working overtime beneath her palm. He moved at just the right angle and she whimpered his name as she climaxed. She could feel it all the way down to the tip of her toes and she sighed in delight. William's rhythm became quicker and a little more frantic and she helped him along, wanting him to feel the same kind of pleasure. She rolled her hips and squeezed her inner muscles and he faltered and gasped, looking at her with a kind of awe. She did it once more and he groaned out her name before dropping his head to her shoulder as he came. Lizzie held him tightly, letting him bask in his own release.

They worked to even out their breathing and laid there, still connected and making no effort to untangle themselves. These intimate moments was one of Lizzie's favorite parts. She could feel the quickened rhythm of her husband's heartbeat that seemed to match her own. She smiled when he placed a few kisses in the crook of her neck and she sighed contently. He lifted his head to look at her before smiling back. He kissed her forehead as he pulled out of her and then rolled them onto their side, getting into a more comfortable position.

"Good way to start a new year," William remarked and Lizzie snickered.

"No, the _best_ way," Lizzie corrected him, brushing her fingertips down his cheek.

"It really is," William said warmly, kissing her temple.

"Do you think anybody heard us?" Lizzie asked curiously, making William laugh.

"For all our sakes, I sincerely hope not," William replied. "Besides, I've heard far louder from you. What about Point-no-Point? Or remember that time in Paris?"

"Oh my god," Lizzie groaned.

"When the manager was banging on the door…" William continued, playfully swatting her hand away as she tried to cover his mouth, "…because the people next door thought you were being harmed?"

"Stop!" Lizzie hid her face in his shoulder and laughed.

"Then when he realized what was happening, he congratulated me," William finished. Lizzie snorted loudly at the memory.

When she finally looked at him a few moments later, her cheeks were still red. "And I'm suddenly home sick for our own bedroom where our walls are thick."

"You and me both, Mrs. Darcy," William agreed.

* * *

On the first day of the year, everyone discussed their upcoming plans. William and Fitz were working on a new application for the digital audience that would be revealed later in the year and Lizzie was happy to be settling into her new offices. She found it difficult to keep her mouth shut when Charlotte mentioned her excitement of their upcoming tropical vacation. She had no idea what was coming and Lizzie was giddy for her bestie's future.

Lydia shared details about her new position. The theater had been dark for the holidays and wouldn't be opening for another two weeks. Lydia would be starting her training in two days and the theater was getting ready for a new gothic musical that would be going through previews for an undetermined amount of time, depending on how it would be received.

Gigi was heading back to London the next day and while she talked in length about her love of the city, Lizzie slipped her hand into William's, giving him a little bit of comfort. She knew how much he had missed his sister over the past months and would continue to miss her. He had confessed late last night that he wasn't sure if and when she would be moving back to the States but he was incredibly proud of her regardless. He was looking forward to seeing her again at end of February during a lengthy business trip and would know more about her plans by then.

Jane and Bing were heading back to New York with the twins and diving right back into their schedule. Bing had new ideas for the center to provide more assistance to those in need. Jane had plans to improve on a line she was currently working on. Scarlett loudly announced she would be helping her mommy and being her model. Charlie happily kept his nose in the large book he was pretending to read as he sat next to his dad and it was clear what he was going to do this year.

Mr. and Mrs. Bennet had finally settled into their new town and were making a few friends their age. Mr. Bennet was glad that he was able to transfer for work and found two coworkers who also had a love of trains. It was a smaller town but it provided plenty for Mrs. Bennet to gossip about. She was even thinking about joining the local women's book club and lending a hand at the small book shop. All in all, the upcoming year would be busy for everyone.

Everyone spent the rest of the day close to the cabin. Lizzie helped Jane one last time to get the twins into snow gear and got help from a few of the guys in showing the twins how to build a snowman. Dinner was a big but relaxed affair and the couples spent the evening near the fireplace, watching an old movie.

Jane, Bing, and the twins were the first to head home the next morning. Special attention was paid to everyone's choice of parting words in order to successfully avoid a flood of tears from the little ones. Mr. and Mrs. Bennet left shortly afterwards with promises of plenty of phone calls. Everybody else took their time packing up their cars and hit the road right after lunch. Lydia hitched a ride with Sam and Charlotte since they were the only ones going straight home instead of stopping at the airport.

"You didn't have to come with us to the airport, Fitz!" Gigi said as William took her suitcase out of the car.

"I didn't _have_ to but I wanted to," Fitz replied pointedly. "You know me, Gigi D. I can't resist."

Gigi smiled at him before looking at Brandon. "Bless you for keeping up with him."

"What else am I gonna do? I'm stuck with him now," Brandon said with a shrug. Fitz shoved him and Brandon laughed, taking a few steps back.

"Okay. We don't want you to miss your flight," William said solemnly, closing the back door and locking the car.

"I mean, it's kind of impossible being here three hours early and all," Gigi teased him.

"It's the recommended arrival time and it's just after the new year so you may run into some long lines. It's better to be early than late," William stated matter-of-factly. Lizzie pressed her lips together to keep from laughing when she saw Fitz teasing William behind his back. "Don't you start with me, Fitz."

"I…how!" Fitz gaped as Gigi and Brandon snickered.

"My husband sees all," Lizzie said proudly.

"I know you too well," William said with confidence, pausing at the crosswalk. "There are certain things you'll never stop doing and pretending to be me behind my back is one of them. I'm used to it. As Brandon said, I'm stuck with you."

"Ouch, guys. You really know how to make a guy feel loved," Fitz said, grabbing at his heart.

"Well, _I_ love you," Gigi said, squeezing his arm.

"I'll take it!" Fitz said quickly. The signal changed to 'walk' and they crossed the street, stopping near the doors to Gigi's airline, making sure to stay out of the way of other travelers.

"This is my stop," Gigi said, offering her signature smile. Lizzie could see that it didn't reach her eyes. It shouldn't have been so difficult to say goodbye when they had already promised to call, use Domino, and email whenever possible. "Come on, guys. We've done this before. Brandon, you promised to call me an obscene amount already."

"Very true," Brandon said, giving her a tight hug goodbye. "I'll still miss you."

"Same," Gigi replied, rubbing his arms before turning to Fitz. "And Fitz, you're seeing me at the end of February."

"Don't get into too much trouble before then," Fitz said gloomily.

"I'll save all the best hijinks for you," Gigi said playfully, pulling him towards her for a hug.

"You better," Fitz mumbled into her shoulder, giving her one last squeeze before letting her go.

"Lizzie…" Gigi started as the two women hugged.

"I will continue to keep these men in line," Lizzie said confidently.

"Please do. I know it must be so hard sometimes," Gigi replied, rolling her eyes.

"Should we all be offended by this?" Fitz asked out loud.

"Maybe," Lizzie joked before grabbing his arm. "Come on, you two."

Fitz gave Gigi a phone signal with his hand to remind her to call as they began to walk away. Lizzie glanced over to her husband before they crossed the street and caught him mouthing 'thank you' and she nodded in reply. She knew he wanted a moment alone with his sister just like he did for her this morning with Jane and Lydia.

She was barely paying attention to the enthusiastic conversation Fitz and Brandon were having but they were so caught up they didn't notice her contributing. Once they reached their cars, Lizzie told them to go on home because she knew William wouldn't be much longer. Sure enough, she spotted William walking towards her five minutes later with his hands deep in his pockets and a thoughtful look on his face. As soon as he reached the car, she looked at him sympathetically before giving him a hug. She rubbed his back before pulling away and pressing her lips to his cheek.

He gave her a genuine smile and squeezed her hand before nodding towards the car. "Let's go home."

* * *

Once Lizzie and William went back to work, the days in January seemed to fly by. Lizzie and her employees spent the first week and a half of January unpacking the offices and getting everything situated. She had an impromptu office party once the last moving box was thrown away and everyone was excited to get back to work. On the Friday of the second week, William took advantage of the shorter distance between their offices and showed up with lunch for him and Lizzie.

"Will! Hi!" Lizzie exclaimed, jumping up from her chair.

"Surprise!" William said, closing her office door behind him.

"What are you doing here?" Lizzie asked, walking over to him.

"Taking advantage of the holiday," William said lightly, bending down to kiss her.

"Holiday?" Lizzie asked, raising an eyebrow.

"International Kiss a Ginger Day," William reminded her and she chuckled.

"Is that today?" Lizzie asked with a smile, resting a hand on his chest as he kissed her again. "I'm usually reminded with a wake-up call."

"I apologize. I had a very early conference call. But I plan to make up for it tonight," William said smoothly.

"Lucky me," Lizzie said flirtatiously.

"In the meantime," William said, holding up a bag. "I brought you something from your favorite food truck."

"Thank you! I hadn't thought about lunch yet," Lizzie said appreciatively. She caught a whiff of the food and groaned before he handed it to her. "Did you get extra sauce?"

"In the bag," William replied. "What good would it be without the extra sauce?"

"You are the best!" Lizzie said enthusiastically, guiding him towards her desk. "What do you think? Everything is _finally_ all finished."

I love it. Your employees seem really happy. Your office has a particularly nice touch…of you," William noted a framed picture from their wedding day on the desk as he took a seat across from her. "Wow. Comfortable chairs, Lizzie."

"I may have spent an hour testing them out with Andrea. We want our clients to feel comfortable when we're working with them," Lizzie said proudly.

"Sam is coming over tomorrow afternoon to go over last-minute details," William said, grabbing his food.

"Sounds good. Anything you need from me?" Lizzie asked, sitting down.

"No," William shook his head. "Charlotte has a conference she needs to attend for the latter half of the day."

"That works out well! I'm really looking forward to this trip," Lizzie said animatedly.

"Me too," William said before adding. "Sort of hoping to see the return of a bathing suit or two from our honeymoon."

"You'll just have to wait and see," Lizzie said, waggling her eyebrows. "Now, I'm starving and my husband brought me deliciousness so if you'll excuse me, I'm about to stuff my face."

William shook his head in amusement before digging in to his own food.

* * *

 _Monday, January 22nd_

On more than one occasion, Andrea would beat Lizzie to the offices. It wasn't usually a noticeable event since they didn't share a desk or a space. On this Monday morning, however, she was practically bombarded by her partner before she could was even able to unlock her office door.

"Lizzie! Oh my god, you're here! You need to check your email ASAP!" Andrea said excitedly, practically bouncing out of her own office.

"Wow, Andrea. Hello to you too," Lizzie said, pushing open her door. "Give me a second to get settled in."

"Sorry. Hi!" Andrea answered as she followed Lizzie to her desk. "Seriously, you _need_ to look at your email."

"Give me just a moment," Lizzie laughed, turning on her computer before putting down her coffee and shrugging off her coat. "I take it you had a good weekend?"

"It was fine. Nothing special. Just caught up on my DVR and enjoyed the rainy weather," Andrea said, anxiously playing with her hands while she waited for Lizzie's computer to warm up.

"William and I did the same. We tried that new Thai takeout place on Lombard Street. I highly recommend it," Lizzie said, taking a seat. She glanced at Andrea and noted her nervous energy and she wondered what could possibly be in her email to make her this way.

"That's nice," Andrea said indifferently, more focused on Lizzie's screen.

Lizzie rubbed her hands together to get rid of the residual outside cold before opening her email and logging in. "What am I looking for?"

"You'll see it," Andrea said quickly.

Lizzie looked the titles of each email from existing clients which she knew didn't warrant Andrea's reaction. Then she saw an unfamiliar subject line before looking at the email and gasping. "Shut up."

"Read it," Andrea urged. Lizzie clicked open the email and started skimming, reading parts out loud and trying to contain her excitement

"—Judith Newman, Executive Vice President of Scholastic…daughter discovered videos…love what you're doing with Shakespeare!" Lizzie's voice was getting louder. "Come to New York! We would like to WORK WITH YOU! ANDREA! This has to be a joke!"

"It's not!" Andrea assured her.

"Scholastic just contacted us out of the blue?!" Lizzie said, still not believing it.

"Yes!" Andrea nodded vigorously.

"This is amazing!" Lizzie shouted.

"What's going on in here?" Katie asked, sticking her head into her office.

"Only one of my top five dreams coming true!" Lizzie said, laughing at the realization. "Scholastic wants us!"

"That's awesome!" Katie congratulated her before returning to her desk outside.

"This is absurd!" Lizzie said, putting a hand to her chest to feel her heart rapidly beating.

"It's not absurd, Lizzie! You see how many subscribers we get on every new video. We literally just moved because we're doing so well," Andrea pointed out.

"Okay, wow," Lizzie said, taking a deep breath before sitting down and reading through the email once more. Then she pulled up their shared meeting calendar to figure things out. "Okay. They want to meet with the two of us as soon as time allows. We're going to have to fit in some strategy sessions so we know what we can pitch to them but we're booked until I leave for Hawaii. The next week? We can move things around and push it if need be."

"Yes, that works," Andrea agreed after double checking. "Email them and let them know."

"This is really happening," Lizzie said in wonder.

"It's happening," Andrea repeated before hurrying back to her own office to get work done.

* * *

Lizzie was planning to stay late at the office so she sent William a text to let him know. He told her he'd take care of dinner and to text him when she was close to leaving. Whoever was home first was usually in charge of dinner. If they were both tired, it would be take out or go somewhere. Luckily, San Francisco provided endless dining options so it was a system that worked well for them.

She didn't leave until after eight and her stomach was growling by then. She walked in the door and followed the delicious smell into the kitchen, to find William finishing dinner prep. He glanced over his shoulder at the sound of her footsteps and smiled warmly at her.

"Hello there," William greeted.

"Hi yourself," Lizzie said, putting her keys and bag down before taking her coat off. William gave her a sweet kiss hello once she approached him "What are you making?"

"Spaghetti Carbonara," William replied.

"Yum! Your garlic bread too?" Lizzie asked with a hint of excitement.

"In the oven," William said, making a little head gesture towards the appliance. "It should be ready in a few minutes. I was about to make a salad."

"I can take care of it so you can handle the rest," Lizzie offered.

"Thank you," William said appreciatively.

"How was your day?" Lizzie asked as she tore apart the lettuce.

"Busy but good. Mostly consisted of meetings and a few conference calls," William replied. "Fitz and I took Mrs. Reynolds out to lunch to celebrate her working with the company for forty years."

" _Forty_? It's really been that long?" Lizzie asked, clearly impressed.

"It has. She told us a story today that it was her first job out of college. She thought it would be temporary but my father took a liking to her. Now she's an indispensable part of the company and a shareholder. She's practically part of the family," William said with fondness in his voice.

"She really is. The things I would do for my own Mrs. Reynolds…" Lizzie trailed off.

"Sorry. You can't have her. She's all mine," William replied smugly. "She said she's not planning to leave any time soon. Mentioned something about wanting to see another generation for the Darcys. Obviously I didn't tell her that might be sooner than later."

"At least she's more subtle than my mom."

"This was the first time she mentioned it. You know how happy she is for us," William said as the timer went off. He slipped on an oven mitt and pulled the garlic bread out of the oven, putting it on the stove.

"It's fine. I know it's a genuine sentiment coming from her," Lizzie shrugged it off.

"Yep," William agreed before glancing at her. "Did Lydia text you about the details about the new musical?"

"What did she tell you?"

"Not much. It's called Nevermore, it's about Edgar Allen Poe. and it's very Tim Burton-esque," William supplied.

"Is that it?" Lizzie asked and he nodded. "So, she actually called me and was pretty enthusiastic because she met the cast last night."

"And?" William asked.

"Adam is in it," Lizzie said, a hint of pride in her voice.

"Who's Adam?" William frowned.

" _My_ Adam. As in the one who played Romeo in my first Shakespeare adaptation," Lizzie reminded him.

"Oh, _that_ Adam," William paused. "Is this a good or bad thing for Lydia? I know she liked him but they weren't willing to do distance."

"That's not really a problem anymore, is it? She sounded happy about it but doesn't want to push her luck. She said he was excited to see her though."

"Hmm," William hummed mostly to himself. "How was your day otherwise?"

"Pretty good. I think I snagged myself a new client," Lizzie said, amused at how long it took to get to her big news.

"Oh? Have I heard of them?" William asked, his interest piquing.

"Maybe," Lizzie said, drawing out the word. "Does Scholastic sound familiar?"

"Yea...What!" There was a clatter and Lizzie looked to see that he dropped the ladle in the pot and was scrambling to get it out. "Lizzie, are you teasing again?"

Lizzie shook her head at him and a smile spread across her face. "Nope. They emailed _me_."

"I—Wow! You let me go on about Mrs. Reynolds and Lydia when you had _this_ news? One of your top five dream companies to work with and they contacted you," William said, trying to process it all.

"It took me a while to believe it too," Lizzie said giddily. "Andrea and I are going to New York as soon as we come back from vacation to meet with them."

"This is fantastic news!" William said genuinely before pulling her in for a big hug. She threw her arms around his neck, as he pulled her up to her toes, and she buried her face into the crook of his neck. She smiled against his skin when he whispered in her ear. "I'm so happy for you."

"Thank you," Lizzie murmured. He pulled away and kissed her cheek, looking at her with a bright expression.

"So you're leaving as soon as we get back?" William asked.

"That Tuesday. We'll be gone half the week," Lizzie confirmed. "I'll be back before you leave for L.A. but…"

"February is a big traveling month," William observed.

"It is," Lizzie confirmed. "You know what else? I can't even share this news with the group yet!"

"Why not?" William frowned.

"Because Charlotte believes we're going to Hawaii for two weeks right now," Lizzie reminded him.

"You can tell her once Sam proposes, though," William suggested.

"Yeah," Lizzie nodded eagerly. "I feel like I should be overwhelmed but I'm not. I'm just so excited about everything coming up. Is that naïve of me?"

"Not at all. It shows that you're enthusiastic for the events ahead," William brushed his thumb across her cheek. "You should be worried when you stop feeling that way about your job…really, about anything in your life."

"What about you?" Lizzie asked curiously. "Do you still get that feeling?"

"I do. There was a time when it wasn't as present but I knew it was there deep down," William said carefully. "And then…"

"Me?" Lizzie offered.

"You," William confessed. "You came out of nowhere and pushed me into a world I had no idea existed. You gave me a whole different outlook on life and now, there's so much to be excited about. You're expanding and taking on well-known clients, we're creating new applications and software that will advance digital technology, and then there's you and me here…" William paused, knowing she knew what he meant without needing to explicitly say it. "I get that feeling on a daily basis. Even when it's as simple as waking up next to you. I'm certain life is never going to be dull for us."

"I hope not," Lizzie said with a gentle smile. "I feel it in the simplest times with you, too."

"I'm glad," William pressed his lips against her temple before pulling away to catch her gaze once more. "Don't ever think being excited over prospects and opportunities is naïve. What it really means is that you're right where you want to be in life. More and more people are starting to realize what an asset you and your company are to them and that's how it should be," William said proudly. He squeezed her tightly "And you already know how important you are in my life," he added softly.

Lizzie brought her hands up to frame his face and she stood on her toes, bringing herself closer to him and giving him a tender kiss, "And you in mine."

* * *

 _Notes: Are you excited for Lizzie? And Charlotte and Sam? There's so much coming up that I'm excited about. I hope you are too!_


	5. I'll Put a Flower In Your Hair

_Summary: William and Lizzie go to Hawaii with Charlotte and Sam and it's not what any of them expected. It's much more._

* * *

 _Notes: It's a vacation chapter! You know what that means? It's longer than other chapters because I like my details._

* * *

 _Tuesday, January 30th_

Charlotte and Sam were outside when Lizzie and William pulled up to the curb. William helped get their luggage into their car while Charlotte joined Lizzie inside, immediately falling into conversation about the trip.

"You have everything?" William asked Sam with a significant look. Sam tapped on his suitcase and nodded with a smile before leaning in and keeping his voice low.

"I triple checked. I had to find a place to hide her passport and the rings in case she needed to get in my suitcase for any reason," Sam said before adding. "My parents got in already and are staying with my brother and sister-in-law."

"Lizzie told me Charlotte's parents checked in yesterday. Maria's not coming in until Thursday afternoon because she couldn't get as much time off. They're at Mauna Kea Resort," William said.

"Nice. It's close but not too close," Sam said with a wink. They both whipped their heads at the sudden sound of someone slapping the car roof with their hand.

"Let's go, ladies! We can save the gossip for later," Charlotte said cheekily. "I have a much deserved vacation I'd like to start."

"Excuuuse me, Lu," Sam retorted, sharing a thankful glance with William that she had heard none of it. He closed the trunk of the car and sauntered over to her. "We didn't mean to keep you waiting."

"No need to apologize. You can make it up to me later," Charlotte said a little smugly, getting into the back with Sam.

"I'm sure I can figure something out," Sam said cheerfully, leaning in and kissing her.

William buckled his seatbelt once he got in next to Lizzie and he let the driver know they were ready.

"I suppose I have to make it up to you now, as well," William said, looking at Lizzie.

"Maybe…" Lizzie trailed off, pulling at her bottom lip a little and said quietly for only him to hear, "I would love a _certain_ kiss when we get to Hawaii." William's lips twitched before he leaned in close to her ear.

"Whatever you want, love," William whispered, softly kissing her earlobe. "I'm all yours."

Lizzie reached up and brushed a finger along his jaw as she looked at him sweetly and murmured, "That's all I ever need."

* * *

"I don't know how I'm going to go back to flying commercial after this," Charlotte said as they were boarding the private jet. William had made arrangements for them to take his corporate jet for the nearly five-hour flight. It took some time to convince Charlotte and Sam but it worked after Lizzie told them how much money it would save. He had finally gotten Lizzie on the jet a couple years ago when her flight to Los Angeles had been heavily delayed. She would have missed a very important business meeting if he hadn't arranged for her to get on the jet within the hour. She told him afterwards how impressed she was with the aircraft.

"Believe me, Charlotte. I should have given in to this luxury right away," Lizzie said, glancing back to Sam as she entered the cabin. "Watch your head. This plane is perfect for us little ones but not so much for you giants."

"Thanks," Sam said, ducking his head as he walked in.

William followed Sam, greeted the pilots as one of them pulled closed the door, and talked with them for a few minutes while Lizzie, Charlotte and Sam took their seats in plush leather chairs. After he finished, he joined them and took a seat next to Lizzie, who was sitting across from Charlotte. Lizzie reached over and slipped her hand into his once he buckled his seatbelt. "We're going to be taking off in a few minutes so it won't be too much longer."

"Oh good," Charlotte said, buckling her own seatbelt. "And thank you so much for setting this up. It's a nice way to begin our vacation."

"There's one more perk Andrew just told me about," William said, gesturing to the pilots at the front of the plane. "There's a big delay at SFO due to some electrical problem and half the flights are grounded. We would have been stuck in the airport all day. Some flights are being postponed until tomorrow."

"Oh, that's too bad," Charlotte said unconvincingly.

"I have a hard time believing your sympathy," Lizzie said in amusement.

"I'm sure she'd mean it more if she wasn't sitting on a private jet," Sam offered dryly.

"Probably," Charlotte said, shrugging and looking to Sam. "But that's where I am right now and we're about to go to the tropical paradise where you grew up so…" she trailed off with a grin.

The jet roared to life and they all looked out their own windows, watching as it taxied slowly to the runway.

"Sam, when's the last time you flew home?" Lizzie asked, distracting everyone from the imminent takeoff.

"For my brother Luka's wedding four years ago," Sam said. "Charlotte and I had just barely gone on a few dates so it wasn't exactly the right time to be flying her back to my home town and meeting the family. I am quite happy to be bringing her now."

Charlotte beamed and rubbed his leg affectionately.

"Remind me how he made his way back to the big island," William said. "I'm only remembering that he was offered a teaching position?"

"He and his wife Leilani were actually childhood friends and they lost touch once we moved here," Sam said. "He was attending a teaching conference in San Diego and she was there representing the University of Hawaii at Hilo. They ran into each other and he asked her out to dinner and everything fell back into place. She told him there were a few teaching positions opening up after he said how much he missed being there. He sent his resume, they offered, and he moved back within two months. He and Leilani were seriously dating within three and the rest is history."

"Didn't your parents mention they were thinking of moving back?" Charlotte asked.

"Possibly once they retire. I'm sure once Luke and Leilani have kids, that will cement their decision but they're happy in San Francisco right now," Sam said, looking back to Lizzie and William. "Hopefully you two will finally be able to meet my brother. He's a little busy this week but possibly Saturday."

"Hopefully," Lizzie managed while William cleared his throat. She kept the rest of her reaction to herself and didn't dare look at William. Obviously Sam's brother was busy. He had been helping out with some of the wedding planning. It was hard enough keeping something this big from her bestie because all she wanted to do was blurt it out every time Charlotte had talked about the trip. As desperate as she was to tell Charlotte everything, there was no way she would be the one responsible for ruining something so important.

"I'm sure we'll be able to see your brother a few times," Charlotte assured. "We didn't plan too much yet, which is surprising coming from the two of you," nodding to William and Lizzie.

"We mainly plan when it's a trip only for the two of us. Besides, Sam is the expert here. We're going by his schedule," William said.

"Of course, I want to show you some places but this is your trip too," Sam reminded them. "You can wander off any time you want."

Lizzie smiled at William's hand squeeze and then spoke up. "We're wandering off tomorrow night. I don't know _where_ but we are."

" _I_ know where," William said as Lizzie rolled her eyes and sighed dramatically.

"You're going to be doing this to her all her life, aren't you?" Charlotte laughed.

"Of course. A little mystery in marriage is usually a good thing," William replied.

"And he knows I'm a sucker for his surprises," Lizzie shrugged.

"You love it," William smiled at her.

"Oh, I _suppose_ ," Lizzie drawled and Charlotte laughed again.

"Nice selling point on marriage," Charlotte pointed out.

"They're actually a good example of a healthy marriage," Sam said. "They're still flirting like they just started dating and there's plenty of affection between them. There's nothing wrong with some harmless banter."

"You know, going on vacation usually means you turn off the work brain and don't psycho-analyze us," Lizzie said.

"Sorry. I can't seem to help it. You two are a breath of fresh air compared to my newest clients," Sam said before quickly adding. "But I obviously cannot discuss details. Patient-therapist confidentiality agreement and all that."

"That right there is the worst part about his job," Charlotte motioned to Sam. "All I want is the gossip and I get nothing."

"Sorry, babe. You're just going to have to live with it," Sam said.

"Unless I find an even more attractive Hawaiian hottie while we're there," Charlotte said wryly.

"Doubtful," Sam said confidently, clasping his hands behind his head and leaning back into his chair while Lizzie and William snorted.

"You have such a humble man, Charlotte," Lizzie said sarcastically.

"I strive to be that humble," William added, getting a giggle out of Lizzie.

"What can I say? I take what I can get," Charlotte replied.

"I think what you've got is a pretty good catch," Lizzie said with assurance. She relaxed further into her seat as William squeezed her hand gently and began to brush his thumb along her wrist.

"You too," Charlotte said sincerely.

"Yea," Lizzie gave an affectionate look to William. "I think it's safe to say that we're all pretty lucky here."

William brought their joined hands up and softly kissed Lizzie's. "Lucky, indeed."

* * *

That luck also extended to accommodations, as a friend of Sam's had offered his vacation home for free. Before protests could be made, his friend said to think of it as a wedding present and that was that. After they landed at the airport and picked up their car, Sam drove while Charlotte offered to be his navigator. They stopped at the grocery story to pick up some basics before heading to their final destination.

"You're going to love this place. It has a great view of the ocean," Sam said, his voice slightly raised. The windows were down and they were all enjoying the warm tropical breeze, which was much different from the gloomy San Francisco winter had they left behind.

"If only you let us see pictures beforehand," Charlotte chided, adjusting her sunglasses.

"Where's the fun in that, babe?" Sam asked, hearing snickers from the back.

"The reveal is the best part," William sided with Sam.

"It's true," Lizzie piped up. "It's annoying sometimes but it's so worth it in the end."

"Well, you don't have to wait any longer," Sam said as he slowed down, turning onto a gravel driveway. He stopped to punch in the code on the keypad jutting out of a bush and the gate swung open. He pulled in and parked, rolling up the windows before turning off the car. Lizzie and Charlotte got out and couldn't resist any longer. They took a peek past the lush tropical plants and immediately started making their way to a large pool with blue and metal deck chairs on one end.

"Hey! Are you leaving all the unpacking to the boys?" Sam called

"Isn't that what you're here for?" Charlotte asked unrepentantly, as she and Lizzie nevertheless walked back to the car.

"Cute," Sam said, bending down and kissing her before handing off her suitcase. "You wouldn't get very far anyway. I have the keys."

"Do you mind if we take the spare?" William asked, grabbing his and Lizzie's luggage out of the back before closing the trunk.

"No problem," Sam said, digging into his pocket and handing him the second set. "I didn't expect us to spend every waking minute here together."

"Worst third anniversary ever," Lizzie said low enough for only William to hear. He chuckled and put his arm around her waist, kissing her temple. They followed Sam and Charlotte down the walkway and through the clearing that opened up to a sizeable courtyard with a pool surrounded by tropical plants. They walked along the side of the pool and Lizzie noticed William's lingering gaze. She nudged him. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"Maybe," William said. "I'm wondering how well your outfit will hold up if I push you in the pool."

"No!"

"Possibly…"

"You wouldn't _dare_ -" Lizzie quickened her step to pass the pool, laughing as William followed hard on her heels

"Maybe I would." William's voice was close behind her. She nearly ran into Sam, who was unlocking the French doors, when she hurried up the steps.

"What's happening?" Charlotte asked, entertained by their behavior.

"William's threatening to toss me in the pool," Lizzie whined, skittering over to Charlotte for protection when he took a step towards her.

"And why would you do that?" Sam asked, pushing both doors opened and walking inside.

"I may have done the same thing to him on the first day of our honeymoon," Lizzie confessed with a sheepish smile.

"With no warning whatsoever," William said, narrowing his eyes at his wife. "The utter betrayal so early in our marriage."

"Please!" Lizzie snorted. "You pulled me in right after. Besides, I stand by it. You pull off the wet look quite well."

Sam cleared his throat. "On that note, the bedrooms are on opposite sides of the house for maximum privacy," Charlotte let out a short burst of laughter before covering her mouth and letting Sam continue. "There are two bedrooms to the left of us and two to the right of us so you have your choice of a balcony or direct access to the backyard and beach."

"Wow, Sam. What did you say your friend does?" Lizzie asked, taking in her surroundings. The room was one big open space with wicker furniture in one corner and a dining room table in the middle. Big glass windows from the first and second level of the house lit up the room, making it inviting to everybody. It provided a glimpse to the lanai and spacious backyard outside as well as the ocean just beyond it. Lizzie took a few steps forward and noticed the second floor hallway that overlooked the living room. There was a large open kitchen to the left of them with wooden cabinets and enough space that a few people could cook without being in each other's way. Four metal stools were tucked underneath a breakfast bar that faced the kitchen. There seemed to be an ocean view from everywhere in the room.

"He's an accountant for a big law firm in San Francisco. Sometimes he rents this place out but it mostly stays empty until tax season is over," Sam replied.

"It's a beautiful house," William said, checking everything out. "This kitchen is spectacular."

"This is a great vacation home, Sam. Good job," Charlotte said, clearly impressed.

"I thought so. You've barely seen it all though," Sam pointed out, nodding his head to one of the bedroom hallways. Charlotte took the hint and grabbed her suitcase, heading to the bedroom in question. "Guys, we're going to go to our room and get the rest of our things from the car. What do you say to lunch in thirty?"

"No problem," William replied before Sam disappeared down the hallway.

"Lunch sounds good. What time is it, anyway?" Lizzie asked.

"There's a two-hour difference so…" William trailed off as he looked at his watch. "It's 11:45."

"No wonder I'm hungry," Lizzie said. "Let's put our stuff away. Upstairs or downstairs?"

"We can check both out and see which one we like better," William suggested. "Would you like to lead the way?"

"Sure. Down here first," Lizzie said with a little bounce in her step. He followed her down the hall and she stopped at the last door before pushing it open. It was a spacious bedroom with a large king-size bed against the furthest wall. Small tables stood on each side of the bed with dark blue ceramic lamps sitting on them. There was one chair next to the entrance with a little half table next to it while another wicker chair sat in the opposite corner with a matching footrest and half table. A dresser with a large television was placed opposite of the bed. The best part was the view from the room. Two large windows were on either side of the sliding glass doors, giving them access to the lanai and the backyard. While Lizzie was looking around the room at the other features, William checked out the bathroom. He quickly came back out with a playful look on his face.

"We're staying in this bedroom," William declared.

"Just like that?" Lizzie asked, taken aback by his quick decision. "I love the view and the bed looks super comfortable but it might be better upstairs."

"Come with me," William said, grabbing her hand and maneuvering her in front of him. He guided her into the bathroom, passing a tiled dual sink vanity, and she gasped in delight.

"An outdoor shower," Lizzie breathed. She slid the door open and stepped outside to check it out. A screened roof enclosed the area and a few potted plants lined the walls. A little table was placed near the dual showerhead with some folded towels on top and a low wooden bench next to it. William slid his hands around her waist and pulled her into him.

"Are you up for some reminiscing?" William asked lowly, kissing her lobe.

"You don't need to ask me twice," Lizzie replied, turning in his arms and resting her hands on his chest. "The wall looks more forgiving than the other one."

"Shall we make sure?" William asked, backing her up until she gently hit the tiled wall.

"Oh yea…much smoother. No rocks to limit us," Lizzie said spiritedly. "Suddenly, I can't wait to take a shower."

"Looking forward to that but later," William promised, bending down and softly kissing her. "But lunch is soon and you know how I love to take my time."

"Oh, I do," Lizzie licked her lips in anticipation. She sighed and pushed those thoughts away for now.

She held out her hand as she stepped back inside. "Come on. We've got things to do and the rest of this house to check out."

"And that backyard is calling our names," William said, taking her hand and letting her lead them back to the bedroom.

Lizzie paused to look outside. "This is a wonderful place to spend our wedding anniversary."

"It really is," William said, hugging her from behind and kissing the top of her head. "I'm so glad we're here."

Lizzie sighed happily. "Me too."

William broke the silence after a few minutes. "So now that we've picked out our bedroom for our stay…"

Lizzie glanced over shoulder and grinned. "There's a bed that needs jumping on. Do you mind?"

"Not at all," William let go of her. "It's quickly become one of my favorite traditions of yours."

"We'll indulge in your favorite later," Lizzie said playfully, toeing off her shoes. "It's one of _my_ favorites, too."

* * *

Nothing but relaxation was planned for the first day of their trip. After they had settled in, they spent more of the afternoon exploring their surrounding area and their small stretch of beach. Lizzie and Charlotte took advantage of the back lanai and lounged around while reading and enjoying the warm tropical breeze. The guys were nowhere to be found but Lizzie knew they were making last minute phone calls and ensuring everything would run smoothly for the wedding. As the sun started to hang low, Sam and William suggested that they go out to eat for dinner and the girls heartily agreed. They quickly got ready while Sam called a taxi, eliminating the decision on who would need to be the designated driver for the evening.

They headed up the coast to The Beach Tree Bar at the Four Seasons Resort. Sam had planned ahead and made reservations, knowing its reputation. Sure enough, it was busy when they arrived. They were seated and a waitress came over soon after to take their drink and dinner orders. Service was faster than they expected with how few empty tables surrounded them and she returned within minutes with their drinks, leaving them to enjoy the beautiful view and the company.

"That is one beautiful sunset," Lizzie said appreciatively. The sky was a myriad of pinks, purples, and oranges that seemed to change the color of the ocean as well. "It must have been so wonderful to grow up here, Sam."

"It was," Sam said, looking out to the ocean. "I had these views every day and the ocean at my doorstep. I used to grab my surfboard at the crack of dawn to catch a few waves before school with my brother and go to the local beach that none of the tourists knew about. I understood why we had to move but it was hard to adjust at first. San Francisco was so fast-paced compared to here. My brother had an even harder time, though. I was just about to start high school but it was my brother's senior year. I'm surprised it took him as long as it did to move back, honestly."

"What about you? Why didn't you move back?" William asked.

"You know, I thought about it for a while and then I got into my program. I told myself I'd move back once I finished but…" Sam said, smiling at Charlotte. "Better things happened."

"That would be me. I'm the better thing," Charlotte gloated.

"You are," Sam chuckled before gesturing to Lizzie and William. "And you introduced me to other better things. Plus, I know it would be hard on my parents not to have at least one son close by. I miss this place but I visit enough that I'm okay."

"At least they didn't move you to the middle of nowhere," Lizzie said.

"True. I can even surf in San Francisco during the summer, but the water is still pretty cold," Sam replied. "I'm going to have to get some surfing in while we're here. The waves are so much better."

"I love watching you surf," Charlotte said.

"If only you could surf _with_ me," Sam said dejectedly.

"We tried," Charlotte shrugged, noticing Lizzie's intrigued glance. "It would seem I am highly uncoordinated on a surf-board. I could barely get the stance right on land. It was disastrous in the water."

"You know, I wouldn't mind giving it a try," William said to Sam. "If you have the patience."

"Ever tried before?" Sam asked.

"I haven't but I'm pretty good with water sports," William said. Lizzie muttered something under her breath but he only caught the words 'pool' and 'speedo.'

"We can give it a try tomorrow, if you'd like. I know you have plans in the evening…" Sam trailed off.

"Tomorrow's great, actually," William agreed.

"Awesome. I know a great spot just a few minutes from the house that is guaranteed some good waves and there are surfboards in the equipment shed," Sam said. "Lizzie? How about you?"

"Oh, no way. I won't pick that up as quickly as William," Lizzie said honestly. "I will, however, come with you. There's no way I'm missing you teach my husband how to surf. I may have to document this for my own personal joy."

"I'm glad to be entertainment for you," William said.

"One of the many perks of being married," Lizzie flashed him a cheesy grin and he couldn't help but smile in return. He reached over and took her hand, kissing the back of it before letting go. "Charlotte, you and I can pretend to soak up some sun while being heavily lathered in sunscreen and hiding under umbrellas."

"Sounds like my kind of day!" Charlotte said happily.

"That settles it. Beach excursion tomorrow. I think we should have a toast," Lizzie suggested, holding up her frozen margarita. The group held up their own glasses and put their focus to Lizzie. "Here's to spending some well-deserved time in a tropical paradise with fantastic friends and a wonderful husband. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else right now."

"Hear hear!"

* * *

Taking a taxi to and from the bar proved to be quite useful. The alcohol flowed all throughout dinner and dessert and they were all quite relaxed by the time they decided to call it a night. William and Lizzie tried to stay on their best behavior with Charlotte and Sam in the car but it proved to be difficult. Their inhibitions always seemed to fly out the window when they were under the influence. With the mixture of alcohol and being on vacation to celebrate an anniversary, it ramped up their need for each other even more. Thankfully, they had snagged a taxi van and Charlotte and Sam were in a world of their own in the middle seat, not noticing what was happening in the back seat. Lizzie's hand was firmly gripping William's upper thigh and slowly moving to dangerous territory while he whispered naughty things in her ear. By the time they made it home, William and Lizzie barely had the patience to get through the door and say their goodnights before they made a hasty exit to their room, slamming the door loudly behind them.

* * *

 _Wednesday, January 31st_

Lizzie was enjoying an incredible dream that involved her and her very naked husband. She was back on that wonderful bed in Fregate, surrounded by mosquito netting. Everything else was hazy around them but her husband's head was between her legs and it was all she could focus on. His hands were sliding up her body while his lips and tongue were moving in a deliciously torturous way. She couldn't seem to move her mouth to beg for more. She reached out to him, grabbing a fistful of hair that felt so real between her fingers that she let go. It was at that moment she realized she wasn't dreaming at all.

Her eyes slowly opened and she quickly realized that she was indeed in bed but she was in Hawaii, not Fregate. She looked down and William was right where she had been dreaming. Her legs were spread wide open and he looked right where he wanted to be, not missing a beat after seeing she had finally woken up. He seemed to smile at her with just a look in his eyes and that damned high arch of his eyebrow. He lifted and moved her legs over his shoulders before sliding one hand up her stomach to massage her breast. She arched her back and moaned, grabbing for his hair once more and pulling him in closer. All she needed was a little more. Her eyes fluttered shut at the building pressure between her legs and her jaw slackened as his teeth grazed her clit. A flick and twist of his tongue and she was gasping out his name as she climaxed.

William planted kisses as he moved up her body and hovered above her, watching her with lust-filled eyes as she slowly came down. She let out a shaky breath and brought a hand to his face, placing it on his cheek. He turned his head and kissed her palm a few times. He pressed his hips against hers so she could feel how much he wanted her. Her desire for him bloomed within her and she pressed her knees against his torso before moving her hands to his chest. She said nothing but flipped them around and straddled his thighs. She wrapped her hand around his rigid length and William moaned softly.

Impulsively, she bent down and captured his lips, smiling naughtily against his mouth as she began to stroke him. William slid a hand in her hair and pulled her in closer, deepening the kiss and running his tongue along hers. She scooted forward and pressed herself to his length, subtly moving her hips and rubbing herself against him. William growled and clamped down on her bottom lip, tugging gently before letting go as she began to pull away. His eyes were beginning to glaze over but she could clearly see and feel how much he wanted her. Her arousal spiked between her legs and his hips jerked towards her from her movements. His hands flew to her hips and held her firmly to stop her movements.

"All I want is you, love," William said softly, breaking the silence between them. She responded by letting go of him and pushing herself up. He kept his grip on her and they worked together to move her above him. She pressed him against her wet entrance and held still for a moment, getting in one last moment of foreplay. His fingers dug into her skin and he smiled tenderly at her. Those dimples were too much for her to resist. She gave in and she lowered herself onto him slowly, reveling in that unforgettable tingling rush whenever he was inside her. She relaxed and let him all the way in, settling on his thighs and resting her hands on his torso. He began to move deliciously in and out of her body and she rocked her hips back and forth, creating a blissfully relaxing rhythm between them. She raked her nails down his chest and across his abdomen, feeling his muscles tighten with each stroke.

Lizzie began to anticipate his thrusts, squeezing around his length as he was deep inside her and holding for a moment before relaxing again. She held a fraction longer each time and it fueled William's movements. The pure love and desire and in his expression only made her want him more. She ran her hands slowly up his body, framing his face and kissing him softly and languidly. He leaned forward just enough that it changed the angle between them and she whimpered as he hit that sweet spot inside her. He held her hips and brought her closer and closer with each stroke. She could barely handle how quickly the fire in the pit of her belly came to life as he worked her over the edge into a powerful orgasm. Her breath caught in her throat and she trembled above him while he slowed down his movements, drawing out her pleasure.

William sat up and pulled her for a kiss as they began to move together again. Lizzie slid her arms around the back of his shoulders and wrapped her legs around him, pulling him in closer. His fingers were spread across her back and he was holding in a way that made her feel truly loved. Their rhythm was slow and steady so they could enjoy each other, their bodies slick with sweat and the sounds of their ragged breaths filling the room. William placed soft kisses across her collar bone before dragging his tongue up the column of her neck. She let her head fall back and he nipped at her salty skin, licking and kissing the hollow of her throat. She was beginning to feel the stirrings of pleasure building at her center and heat coiled inside her. Her body ached for more as she leaned back slightly, keeping him close to her. She shut her eyes and her lips parted with a gasp as their angle provided the perfect amount of pressure. Their mouths met for a passionate, unrestrained kiss as they brought each other closer and closer to the edge. Finally, they cried out as they came in near perfect unison, clinging to each other as shared bliss ran through their veins.

William brought Lizzie with him as he fell to his back, both of them breathing heavily from exertion. She could hear his fast heartbeat with her ear pressed against his chest and it brought her a sense of calm as her own heartbeat began to steady.

"Happy anniversary, Lizzie," William sighed after a few minutes.

"Happy anniversary, Will," Lizzie replied breathlessly. "Early wake-up call?"

"Actually, I couldn't sleep," William admitted. "It's barely…five am."

"Really?" Lizzie asked in surprise, turning her head to look outside. It was indeed still dark. "It's always one of us who falls victim to jetlag."

"At least, we have a good solution," William joked, working to pull the sheets up without moving them too much. He covered them up to their waists before giving up.

"Amazing sex to wear us out?" Lizzie asked softly. She was still feeling little aftershocks of pleasure but couldn't deny her body's sudden feeling of relaxation. A few more hours of sleep sounded perfect and she was so comfortable where she was.

"Mmhmm," William hummed, sounding far away. "Love you so much."

"Love you more," Lizzie said quietly. She felt him kiss the top of her head and she lazily smiled against him at the sweet action. It didn't take more than another minute before they were both fast asleep, entangled in each other's arms.

* * *

William and Lizzie were woken a few hours later by the sound of William's phone going off. He fumbled around for it and answered it just in time. It was Gigi calling them from London and wishing them a happy anniversary. They talked on the speakerphone for a few minutes more before she let them go, knowing she had woken them up. Lizzie spent the next few minutes in bed with him, giggling as he attacked her neck with his lips and being altogether silly. By the time they left the bedroom, Charlotte and Sam were already making breakfast for them as a little treat. They all sat down together outside on the lanai to enjoy a well-made meal and the breezy weather.

After dishes were washed, the couples retreated to their bedrooms to change for their beach excursion. Lizzie wore a one-piece blue swimsuit with adjustable halter straps at the neck and a small cutout at the bust. The back of her suit was low but not too low and there was a floral pattern with darker blue leaves all throughout.

"That's new," William noted, pulling on a simple white t-shirt to go with his navy blue board shorts.

"It is," Lizzie confirmed, twisting to show him her back. "I know you were expecting something."

"I know that dark blue bikini is for my eyes only," William admitted, walking over to her and tracing her halter top straps. "This one looks quite nice on you."

"Thank you," Lizzie said, grabbing the strings of his shorts and slowly tying them. "Maybe you can help me put sunscreen on my harder-to-reach areas for me."

He smiled in recognition at her choice of words. His mind flashed back to a moment on their honeymoon where she offered to do the same to him in the shower. "With pleasure," William leaned in and kissed her. Lizzie pulled away after a moment and grabbed.

"As much as I want to continue this, we should finish getting ready. We have another couple relying on us," Lizzie said before adding. "And I'm dying to watch your surfing lessons."

"Planning to ogle me?" William asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"The view is just too good to pass up," Lizzie said shamelessly.

* * *

Puako Bay was less than a ten-minute walk from their house and it was deserted when they arrived. William and Sam helped Lizzie and Charlotte set up beach chairs and umbrellas. William was true to his word and helped Lizzie rub on sunscreen, sneaking in a kiss or two.

"The waves look pretty good today," Sam observed, holding onto his surfboard and looking out to the ocean. "The report said five to six feet. I think you can handle that."

"We'll see," William said, grabbing his surfboard once he finished putting sunscreen on himself.

"Come on. I'm going to give you a lesson on how to get up and how to stand on the board," Sam said.

"Have fun!" Lizzie said in a sing-song voice, waving her fingers to the men as they walked away with the boards tucked under their arm. She turned to Charlotte. "How do you think he's going to do?"

"Better than me," Charlotte snorted, watching the guys set the boards down on the flat sand. "I know William swims a lot so he has a good core–"

"Yea, he does," Lizzie interrupted, pulling her sunglasses down her nose to look at her husband.

"…which is helpful." Charlotte finished before laughing at her statement. "You're terrible!"

"Oh, come on. I appreciate my husband's mind _and_ body. They're both fantastic," Lizzie said, defending herself. "And if you don't mind me saying, your man is in pretty good shape, too."

"It's, um, it's a big bonus," Charlotte said, her cheeks reddening. They watched the guys for a few minutes in silence. "Okay, honestly…it's distracting, sometimes. I'm trying to get some work done at home and he's walking around shirtless because it's more comfortable for him. You'd think I'd be used to that body by now."

"The appreciation doesn't wear off," Lizzie said knowingly, pausing to watch William as he mimicked Sam's movements to get into position. Each time, his abdominal muscles tightened and Lizzie got a thrill from watching him. "I've seen women staring at William and undressing him with their eyes. He never notices but I can't help but gloat a little that I'm the one he comes home to."

"I thought it was just me," Charlotte said in surprise. "I catch those stares and Sam could care less. It makes me feel special."

"Yea," Lizzie sighed happily, getting more comfortable in her chair and resting her head against it as she focused her attention back on William. He had a look of concentration as he mirrored Sam's movements. It looked like he was catching on quickly and he practiced a few more times before Sam gestured out to the water. They grabbed their boards and began to paddle out, slowly but surely.

"I think Sam's planning to propose," Charlotte said, out of nowhere. Lizzie whipped her head to look at her and sat up in her chair.

"Really? W-what makes you think that?" Lizzie asked, doing her best to keep her composure. She racked her brain to think of anything that might have given it away but could think of nothing.

"For one, we're in Hawaii. It's where he grew up," Charlotte said. "He's always wanted to take me and it seems like he would take this opportunity. He's been extra affectionate lately, which I never mind, but I'm just noticing it."

"Well…" Lizzie chewed on her lip for a moment, trying to think of the right words. "I think the thing to ask yourself is what would you say if he asked?"

"I'd say yes, obviously," Charlotte said without hesitation, her face lighting up at the thought. Lizzie kept her excitement at bay. Charlotte had no idea what was in store for her.

"That's all that matters then," Lizzie said brightly.

"I'm not going to obsessively think about it though," Charlotte admitted. "I don't want to be on edge during this whole vacation thinking he's going to drop to one knee at any moment."

"Probably for the best," Lizzie agreed. She wouldn't have to wait much longer anyway. She was almost certain he was going to propose in the next day because of their timeline. "Besides, the best things come to those who wait."

"You should write Hallmark cards on the side," Charlotte said snarkily.

Lizzie rolled her eyes. "See if I ever offer you advice again."

"As if you could stop," Charlotte said knowingly. "You're stuck with me."

"Ugh. I suppose I am," Lizzie said, pretending to sound annoyed. "I do have a pretty nice back-up plan though."

Lizzie gestured out to the ocean to see William paddling hard and trying to catch a wave. He was a little bit too slow and ended up wiping out, making her cringe.

"Ouch," Charlotte hissed. "Because you'll be nursing him back to health, I see."

"Not everyone is dating someone who came out of the womb surfing," Lizzie countered. "I'm sure you fell off the board a few times when he was teaching you."

"Try every time," Charlotte groaned and Lizzie's eyes widened. "I'm surprised he lasted as long as he did before calling it a day."

"Awww, true love," Lizzie said in a distinct Jane voice.

Charlotte laughed. "Only the best for you and me."

"You know it," Lizzie said as they high-fived each other.

* * *

William got progressively better as the time went on. Lizzie cheered on from the shore as she watched him catch a few different waves. Sam showed off his skills and caught nearly every one he tried. The girls ended up not reading at all, focusing their attention on the men out in the ocean. They swam back in for lunch, claiming a large appetite after their workout. They packed a chest full of food and everybody dug in. After eating and spending a little time on the beach, protected from the sun, William and Sam declared the girls needed to join them out in the water. Lizzie barely protested, knowing the look in William's eyes all too well. He took her over his shoulder and walked right out into the water, helping her break in her new suit by throwing her in. They stayed out in the shallow water, having a wonderful time while Sam took Charlotte out on his surfboard to feel the waves come in. By early afternoon, they all agreed it was time to head home. They were tired from the day's activities and Lizzie and William were secretly hoping to get some 'rest' before going out again.

* * *

"Love? Are you almost ready?" William asked, folding up the sleeves of his pale green shirt to his elbows.

"I am," Lizzie said. She walked out of the bathroom wearing a halter-necked off white dress with a deep blue blossom pattern. A scallop-trimmed black sash wrapped around the middle of the dress and it fell just below her knees, showing off her blue sandals with a little heel that matched. Her hair was loosely curled and she wore a light shade of lipstick that brought some color to her face. Her neckline was adorned with a silver necklace and crystal earrings that William had just given her for their anniversary that afternoon.

"Wow, Lizzie. You look as beautiful as the day I married you," William said warmly.

"Thank you, Will," Lizzie blushed before bringing her hand to the crystal pendant on her necklace. "And I love this necklace. It goes so well with the rest of my outfit."

"It does," William said, reaching out and brushing his fingers across her skin. "The earrings look great too."

"You have wonderful taste," Lizzie beamed at him. "I noticed you're not finished getting dressed."

"I am. Did I forget something?" William asked in confusion, scanning himself. Green shirt, tan pants, socks, and shoes. What did she mean? Lizzie quickly hurried over to her suitcase and pulled out a wrapped box, turning around and motioning to the bed. He took a seat on the edge and she handed the present to him.

"I was waiting until now to give you your wedding present," Lizzie said, sitting down next to him. "I went for the classic third anniversary suggestion."

"Please don't tell me there are leather pants in here," William joked.

Lizzie snorted. "Good god, no. I love you but please never try that."

"I promise," William said, shaking the box a little. "A whip?"

"Stop guessing and open the box!" Lizzie chided. William chuckled and took the bow off before shimmying the top off. He pulled the tissue paper away and Lizzie watched him as a smile appeared on his face. "They're genuine."

"They look it," William said, pulling out a pair of tan leather suspenders. "Oh, there's a bow tie too!" Lizzie took the box as he laid the suspenders down and grabbed the bow tie. "Is this monogrammed?"

"It is," Lizzie nodded while he inspected his presents closely. She had their initials and their wedding date on the leather strip of the bow tie. Only he would see that detail when he wore it.

"I love this," William said appreciatively. "Thank you so much."

"I hoped you would," Lizzie beamed. He reached over and placed a hand on her cheek before kissing her slowly. He lingered for a moment before pulling away.

"Should I wear both or just one of them tonight?" William asked, looking to her for the answer.

"Probably just the bow tie with that outfit," Lizzie said, taking it from him. He turned more towards her and kept his gentle gaze on her as she flipped his collar up before putting the bow tie on him. After a little adjusting and smoothing the collar down, she looked satisfied. "It looks even better than I thought it would. You'll have to wear that with your suspenders to work when we get back home."

"I fully intend to," William said, getting up and checked himself out in the mirror. "I think I can safely now say I'm ready to—"

He was interrupted by a sharp knock at their door and Sam's muffled voice asking for them.

"Come in," William said and Sam swung the door open as Lizzie stood up, going over to the chair to grab her clutch.

"Hey, I didn't mean to interrupt," Sam apologized. "You look beautiful, Lizzie."

"Thank you, Sam," Lizzie said with a smile. "And you didn't interrupt. We were planning to leave…to wherever we're going in a few minutes. Is there anything you need?"

"I actually wanted to let you guys know," Sam paused, checking the hallway before closing their door. "Just in case. I'm taking advantage of you guys being out and I'm…planning to ask tonight."

"Oh Sam," Lizzie said softly, pressing her hands to her chest. "How exciting! I know everything is going to work out for you."

"I hope so," Sam laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Sam, you're going to be fine. Don't worry," William reassured him. "Do you need anything? Are you okay with us taking the car?"

"No car is necessary for us. Pretty much everything I need is right outside those doors," Sam said, pointing out to the backyard. "Though if you two wouldn't mind stretching out your anniversary celebration…"

"I think we can do that," William said, looking at Lizzie.

"Yea," Lizzie added. "We're pretty good time-wasters when we need to be."

"That's good to know," Sam chuckled before exhaling visibly and opening the door. "I should let you two get going. I'm sure your reservations are soon. You two clean up nicely."

"We try," Lizzie said, walking over to William and sliding her arm behind his back.

"Nice bow tie," Sam noted, before he walked out.

"Anniversary present," William smiled.

"Good taste, Lizzie," Sam complimented. "Have fun."

"You too," Lizzie said in a playful tone, waving him goodbye. William looked at her expectantly. "We should go before I try to convince you to stay so we can watch the action in stealth mode."

"Stealth mode, huh?" William raised an eyebrow at her. "And I would never let you. How would you have liked it if you had an audience?"

"I wouldn't have," Lizzie hugged him around his middle and looked up at him. "What you did was perfect and I wouldn't change a thing."

He brought his hands up and framed her face, bending down to kiss her softly and slowly. He pulled away a fraction to focus on her gaze. "I wouldn't either. Let's go celebrate, my wife."

* * *

"Aloha and welcome to the Canoe House. Do you have a reservation with us this evening?" the hostess greeted William and Lizzie.

"We do. It should be under Darcy," William replied. The hostess repeated the name under her breath as she scanned the reservations.

"There you are! One of our best tables too. Beautiful sunset views," the hostess said, grabbing menus and leading the way to their table, right under the overhang and providing an unobstructed view of the beach and ocean beyond it. A bottle of champagne was chilling in a bucket next to the table, something that William had arranged beforehand. He pulled out Lizzie's chair for her before taking his own seat. The hostess handed them menus and let them know their waiter would be with them in a few moments.

"You really know how to pick some great places, Will," Lizzie said, looking around as William poured them each a glass of champagne.

"I always want to celebrate with you in style," William replied, reaching over and taking her hand.

"You know what that sunset reminds me of?" Lizzie asked.

"Fregate?" William guessed and she nodded. "It's beautiful, for sure."

"But not nearly as magnificent," Lizzie finished for him.

"There was something special about our honeymoon," William said. "I can't really explain it."

"I can," Lizzie said. "We were on the other side of the world and practically alone. It felt like those sunsets were just for us."

"They really did," William said. "I cherished every one of those sunsets. It was a unique reminder about how fortunate I am to spend another day with you. It's still that way at the end of every day now, honestly."

Lizzie sighed happily. "I can't believe it's been three years since we got married."

"I can," William reached over to grab her hand, brushing his thumb methodically along the top of her wrist. "I remember every detail about how stunning you looked. You took my breath away that day. You still do."

"Will…" Lizzie gave him a tender look. "You make me happier every day that I'm with you."

William exhaled softly and picked up his glass. She followed suit and held up her own, waiting for him to continue. "For the past three years, you've made my life infinitely better than it was before by being my wife. I don't know where I would be without you. I know how lucky I am to have you by my side now and for the rest of my life. I love you, Elizabeth. Happy anniversary."

"I love you too, William. Happy anniversary," Lizzie breathed, clearly touched. She clinked her glass with his and took a sip before putting it down. She got out of her chair and sat in the one perpendicular to him before pulling him in for a sweet kiss. They broke apart and she brushed her knuckles across his cheek. "Thank you for being in my life."

"We should take a picture. Can't let this backdrop go to waste," William suggested, pulling out his phone. He held it out and Lizzie leaned in close to him as he tried to find a good angle. When he got it, they flashed their smiles as he took one. Their waitress happened to be walking by as he was trying to take another one.

"I can take it for you, if you'd like," she offered.

"Would you please?" Lizzie asked as William handed her his phone.

"Not a problem," she smiled at them. "Are you two here on your honeymoon?"

"Anniversary actually. Three years," Lizzie said proudly, smiling as the waitress took a picture.

"Wow. I never would have guessed! I assumed you were newlyweds," she handed William back his phone. "You certainly act like it."

"Our friends like to joke that we're permanently honeymooners," William said, looking at Lizzie knowingly.

"Well, I'm just going to pretend you're newlyweds because you're the cutest table I've seen all day. Dessert's on the house that way," she said with a smirk. "Would you like anything in particular?"

"Anything chocolate," William answered. "It's a weakness of my wife's."

"Isn't it everybody's?" Lizzie nudged him.

"I know just the dessert. I'll make sure it comes out after dinner," she smiled before leaving the table.

"Being gross and in love really gets us places," Lizzie said playfully.

"I guess we're going to have to keep doing what we're doing," William chuckled before leaning in and kissing her.

* * *

After a delicious dessert, they had the leftovers boxed up and Lizzie left it in the car so they could go for a walk on a nearby beach. They took off their shoes and walked along the surf with fingers interlaced. They spent nearly two hours on the beach, alternating between talking about trips coming up and having a quiet moment watching the waves together while occasionally kissing. When William noticed Lizzie shiver from the night air, he declared it time to head back.

"I'm sure we've given him more than enough time," William said, turning off the car.

"I know. We've been gone nearly four hours," Lizzie checked her watch as she got out of the car. "Where did the time even go?"

"As you said, we are time wasters when we need to be," William smiled at her, walking along the pool. "But I think we put those hours to good use actually."

"We did," Lizzie said, stopping at the stairs. "Crap. I forgot the leftovers. Keys, please."

William handed them to her without comment and he watched her hurry back to the car. He began to head inside and stepped on something when he opened the door. Picking it up, he realized it was a man's shirt. He looked down and noticed a few pieces of clothing leading towards the great room. Before he could announce his arrival, he saw a flash of bare skin zip past him going in the direction of Sam and Charlotte's bedroom. His eyes widened and he turned immediately, closing the door behind him and moving quickly towards Lizzie, who was walking up the stairs.

"What's up?" Lizzie asked when she saw the uncomfortable look on William's face.

"Uh…" William started, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. "I'm going to say that Charlotte said yes to Sam but it's probably best we, um, stay outside for the time being."

"What happened?" Lizzie asked, giving him a curious look. "Did you see something?"

"Barely," William said, reddening "Let's…go around to the back."

"Oh my god. Were they just—"

"Most likely," William said carefully. Lizzie pressed her lips together to stop herself from laughing out loud and he just shook his head in amusement. He grabbed her hand and led them around the back, taking a seat on two chairs in front of their bedroom.

"Did you just get the tables turned on you?" Lizzie asked after a moment.

"We haven't been walked in on in well over a year," William said defensively, looking at her. Lizzie brought a hand up to cover her mouth and her shoulders began to shake.

"It could…have been worse," Lizzie said through her laughter. William narrowed his eyes at her and it only made her laugh harder. He finally broke and he was laughing with her. It took her them a few minutes to get their composure back and Lizzie took a deep breath to speak. "It's so bad we've had more than one person walk in on us."

"Really, our friends need to learn how to knock," William replied.

"Or ring a little bell so we know they're coming?" Lizzie joked.

"Ha ha. You're a funny woman," William said.

"You love me," Lizzie said simply.

"That I do," William said softly. He brought a hand to her cheek and leaning over the arm rail of his chair to kiss her. They heard the click of a door opening and they broke apart, twisting their heads around towards the noise. Charlotte and Sam coming outside and they both looked vibrant. Charlotte had a hibiscus flower tucked just above her left ear, giving Lizzie and William confirmation that she had said yes to Sam's proposal. Lizzie and William jumped up from their chairs to greet them.

"Charlotte said yes, as if you didn't already know," Sam said with a sheepish smile. A simple knowing look between him and William was a silent agreement to put the earlier incident was behind them.

"Of course I said yes!" Charlotte said happily, getting hugs from both William and then Lizzie. "And you…letting me ramble on about my suspicions and you just sat there giving nothing away."

"As if I was going to ruin something that's been being planned for months!" Lizzie shot back.

"I still can't believe it," Charlotte shook her head in shock. "A whole wedding? Without as much as a clue from any of you?"

"You know everything?" William asked, glancing at Sam.

"She knows the important things," Sam confirmed, putting an arm around Charlotte. "I'm not giving her the details because I'd like her to be surprised on Saturday."

"Which is infuriating," Charlotte said, poking his side. "But I love everything about this. It's hard to wrap my head around what you've planned. I mean you've got my family in a resort fifteen minutes away! I just called them yesterday and they didn't say anything. Lizzie…"

"Of course we were going to make sure they were here for you," Lizzie smiled at her. "Your mom is coming with us first thing tomorrow morning to your dress appointment. Really, it's the only thing you have to do."

"It's unbelievable," Charlotte sighed. "It's so weird how I didn't even notice."

"You've been so busy, Charlotte. And we worked very hard to make sure that this worked out properly," William offered. "Sam wanted to take advantage of this rare opportunity and we've been making sure it's the kind of wedding you've talked about in the past. We took away the stress of planning a wedding so you can properly enjoy it."

"Thank you, William," Charlotte said softly, giving him another hug. "Seriously, Lizzie. You've got yourself a good guy."

"I know I do," Lizzie beamed at him. Now, I want to hear the whole story," she led the group to sit down. "And then I can finally share some big work news I've been dying to tell you."

"That sounds promising. What is it?" Charlotte asked inquisitively.

"Nu uh. You first!"

"He proposed at sunset…" Charlotte started, glancing to her new fiancé.

"That doesn't sound like the beginning to me, Lu," Lizzie scolded.

"Alright, alright!" Charlotte said, putting her hands up in defeat. "The whole thing started a few minutes after you and William left…"

* * *

 _Thursday, February 1st_

"Just got off the phone with the pilot and they're ready to go when you are," William said, slipping his phone in his pocket as he sat down next to Lizzie. The four of them had just finished breakfast and were waiting for Charlotte's mom to arrive. Lizzie had done research on where some of the best bridal shops were on the Hawaiian Islands. She had learned that there was a David's Bridal on the island of Oahu so they would have to fly over from The Big Island. William had made arrangements so that they could use the private plane and Lizzie made an appointment at the store.

"Perfect. I think we should be back by noon," Lizzie checked her watch. "Then we can do some sightseeing. What are you guys going to do in the meantime?"

"I think we're going to go back to the beach and get in a little more surfing," Sam said, glancing at William and getting a nod of confirmation.

"Have you been bitten by the surfing bug?" Lizzie asked, elbowing her husband.

"I just…want to see if I can improve," William admitted.

"I think it's cool. God knows he's already better than me," Charlotte said.

"I like that you're not giving up," Lizzie smiled, leaning over and kissing his cheek. They heard a faint knock coming from the front, Charlotte and Sam got up from their chairs and went inside to answer the door. "Okay. It looks like we're going to head out. Try not to have too much fun without us."

"Same to you," William said, tugging on her hand. She gave him an amused look and she bent down, giving him a long kiss goodbye before murmuring, "Love you."

"Love you too," Lizzie hummed. She brushed her hand across his shoulder and he gave her a light tap on her butt as she started to walk away. She gasped and looked back at him. "Naughty. What was that for?"

"Just getting you back for how handy you were in the shower this morning," William said with a waggish look. She showed no sign of regret and he chuckled before waving goodbye. She walked inside to find Charlotte and her mom hugging. She passed Sam as he went to rejoin William.

"Make sure she has fun, okay?" Sam asked, pausing at the door.

"I will," Lizzie assured. "And we'll be back before you know it. You have fun, too!"

"I'm sure we will," Sam grinned before closing the door behind him.

"Okay, ladies!" Lizzie raised her voice to get their attention. "We have a dress appointment to get to!"

* * *

"Aloha! Welcome to David's Bridal! Do we have an appointment?" the petite brunette woman asked as they walked in.

"We do. It's for Charlotte Lu," Lizzie informed her.

"Oh, yes! We know all about your special circumstances," she replied in a chipper tone. "If you just have a seat, over there. Your consultant will be right with you."

"So what are my special circumstances?" Charlotte jokingly asked Lizzie as she sat next to her mom.

"Oh, you know. Surprise wedding and all. You can only try on dresses that you can walk out with today and don't need much, if any, alterations," Lizzie said.

"It's so different than your wedding dress appointment," Charlotte said before glancing to her mom. "I'm really glad you could be here."

"I wouldn't miss this for the world," Charlotte's mom said dotingly. "Maria's upset she's missing this but work is important. You'll see her Saturday."

"I understand. It's not like I was prepared for something like this!" Charlotte said, disbelief still in her tone.

"Charlotte Lu?" a tall, raven-haired woman said softly as she approached them.

"That's me," Charlotte said as the three of them stood up.

"Wonderful. My name is Akela. I've been looking forward to this appointment," Akela said, shaking her hand before turning to Lizzie. "Are you the best friend, Lizzie?"

"Yes, I am," Lizzie replied, shaking her hand.

"And the mother, I assume?" Akela asked and Charlotte's mom nodded. "If you would all follow me, please," she began as she started walking them to a room. "Now, Lizzie has filled us in on all the details and I must say I'm quite excited to find you a dress. I've picked out some in advance should work for your time frame and location but you still have a selection to choose from if you like none of them."

"I'm not a very picky person but I know it should be simple," Charlotte said.

"Your best friend knows you well. That's exactly what she said," Akela smiled. Lizzie smiled at Charlotte when she nudged her. They stopped in front of a room and Akela told Charlotte's mother and Lizzie to have a seat on the two empty chairs before opening the door for Charlotte and hurrying off to get dresses.

"Can you spoil one thing?" Charlotte asked.

"Depends on what it is," Lizzie said.

"Is the wedding inside or out?" Charlotte asked.

"Wow. He's really keeping you in the dark," Lizzie chuckled.

"Please, Lizzie," Charlotte pouted.

"I don't know. I'm already being deprived of hosting a proper bachelorette party," Lizzie said, her lips twitching in amusement. Charlotte simply groaned.

"You're such a tease, Lizzie," Mrs. Lu chuckled.

"I know," Lizzie gloated. "I promise you're going to love everything. I'll let Sam give you the rest of the details."

"So mean," Charlotte said moodily. Akela returned a few moments later with a pile of dresses in her arms.

"Are we ready to pick your dress?" Akela asked.

"As ready as I'll ever be," Charlotte said, brightening.

"Then let's get started."

* * *

"I really love my dress," Charlotte said as they pulled up to the curb outside of their house.

"That's good because you're stuck with it," Lizzie said with an all too innocent look and Charlotte stuck her tongue out at her. "It helps that Akela was so enthusiastic about finding a dress that suits you so well."

"It's the perfect dress, honey. You look so lovely in it and Sam's going to be speechless," Mrs. Lu smiled at her.

"I'm really glad you could be here, Mom," Charlotte said sincerely.

"I am too, Charlotte. Sam is a wonderful man and you deserve each other," Mrs. Lu said before adding, "And it's about time you two finally settled down."

"I was wondering when you'd say that," Charlotte mused, hearing Lizzie snicker. They both heard Lizzie's mom in Mrs. Lu's tone. "Thanks for holding onto the dress too."

"We don't want the groom seeing it before he needs to," Mrs. Lu winked. "Now, you two go off and enjoy yourselves. Your father and I have some sightseeing to do before Maria arrives. We'll see you Saturday."

Charlotte and Lizzie gave Mrs. Lu hugs goodbye and watched her drive off. They headed inside to find William and Sam just finishing up making lunch. The four of them sat down to eat while William and Sam asked questions about their excursion. Lizzie and Charlotte were experts at teasing them and gave nothing away.

Soon afterwards, they got ready to go and Sam took the driver's seat once more. Their afternoon became jam-packed with sightseeing, starting with an exciting tour on the Umauma Zip line. One of the best perks of the tour was that they had access to the upper falls, which was closed to the general public. Lizzie and William reminisced about another waterfall they jumped off on their honeymoon.

They made it home with just enough time to change for dinner before heading right out again to for their reservation at the Rays on the Bay restaurant. They took their time and once their plates were cleared and the meal was paid for, they made their way outside to Paakai Point hoping to see Manta Rays. Lizzie and William made it a little competition between them to see who could point out more Rays. Charlotte and Sam watched from the sidelines in amusement for a little bit but turned their attention back to each other. It was nearly ten when they called it a night and Lizzie and William spent the car ride back teasing each other about who really won their competition.

By the time they got back home, they were both declared the winner by Charlotte as she and Sam headed to their bedroom. Lizzie and William laughed and accepted the ruling before they went to their bedroom to celebrate in their own way.

* * *

 _Friday, February 2nd_

The four of them got up early in the morning and headed out to Kilauea to meet with a native tour guide. They were taken on a long hike across Kilauea crater and later, the guide brought them to some more active spots to show them lava tubes as well as Pu'u 'O'o crater where a lava pond had been steadily growing over the past couple years. He tipped them off to a lava flow spot near the ocean that was a must-see at night. After they said their goodbyes, they headed back to their place where they spent the afternoon snorkeling in the waters just past their backyard, spotting numerous tropical fish as well as a pod of dolphins jumping in and out of the water from afar. As the sun started to dip in the sky, they all went in to get ready for a big night of entertainment.

"When's the last time you went to a luau?" Charlotte asked Sam when they arrived at their destination for the evening. They were greeted with leis and took their seats in the front, waiting for the show to begin.

"Actually, never," Sam admitted, putting his arm around Charlotte's shoulder. "Luaus are really more for the tourists. I'm doing this solely for you, Lu."

"Awww, I feel so special," Charlotte said with a grin. "And for Lizzie and William, I assume."

"We can't forget them," Sam said, glancing at the couple beside them.

"We're afterthoughts, William," Lizzie teased. "Isn't that nice?"

"Very," William chuckled. "And here we thought we'd go out and let them have some fun on their last night as single people."

"It was very generous of you, William. Thank you for thinking of this," Sam replied.

"And paying," Charlotte added sincerely. "Despite our offer."

"Really, it's no trouble," William brushed it off. "You're welcome."

"So, Charlotte, have you decided if you're going to change your last name?" Lizzie asked, changing the subject.

"I thought about it and I'm going to hyphenate," Charlotte said. "I like the sound of Lu-Kekoa."

"I'm just happy she's marrying me in the first place," Sam said, flashing a brilliant smile to Charlotte.

"That's what counts," William said in a warm tone and Lizzie beamed, entwining their fingers together.

The sounds of conch shells indicated the start of the show and they quieted down, turning their attention to the stage.

* * *

After the opening of the show and once dinner of roasted pig had been served, the real entertainment began. They were told stories of Hawaiian cultures through singing and reenactments and there were fire dancers so close that William could feel the heat from the stage. They were given a standing ovation before a group of hula dancers came onto the stage to perform.

"We need a few volunteers! Men _and_ women," the lead hula dancer asked once they finished their performance. One dancer made eye contact with William and he froze, desperately hoping she wouldn't coerce him to come up. Lizzie must have sensed his fear and she quickly raised her hand, diverting attention away from him. He silently thanked her with a grateful look and she smiled, kissing his cheek and brushing her hand across his shoulder as she made her way to the stage. She grabbed Sam's hand on the way and he laughed the whole way up the stage. William glanced to Charlotte and she shrugged her shoulders in amusement before eagerly turning her attention back to the stage.

William turned his head and his gaze met his wife's. Only a few other men and women volunteered to go on stage but the instructors were enthusiastic to teach. Sam and the other male volunteers were being taught a few moves while Lizzie was being shown how to move her hips. William couldn't keep his eyes off her. The way she was moving her hips was very enticing to him. She must have known he was watching her because she glanced his way and winked at him, biting her bottom lip playfully as she kept swinging her hips. He took a deep breath and shifted in his seat to stop his mind from wandering to even dirtier territory. She was making it so easy right now. She was outshining the other ladies, who were probably twice her age, and garnering the most cheers. As the instructor tossed in a couple more complicated moves, she threw her head back in laughter while she tried to keep up.

A few more minutes later, the instructors had everybody line up and show off their new moves to music. Charlotte was laughing and cheering for Sam, who was exaggerating his movements on purpose. Lizzie was staring straight at William and he couldn't help but look smug. The most gorgeous woman on stage was married to him and he was the luckiest man in the world. Once the dancing ended, the volunteers gave a standing ovation and were allowed to leave the stage. Lizzie bounced off stage with Sam and Charlotte gave her a high-five.

"Way to smoke the other ladies there, Lizzie," Charlotte said.

"Thanks," Lizzie grinned before going over to William, where he pulled her in for a hug.

"You were the best one up there," William whispered near her ear.

"Maybe I could give you a private show," Lizzie whispered back. William pulled away and looked at her, nodding eagerly. She snickered and kissed his cheek before pulling him back into his chair. The show had a little less than an hour left but Lizzie and William could no longer concentrate as well. They kept exchanging heated glances and he took her hand, tracing his fingers along her palm and wrist. It was a game that was putting them on edge and they were both ready to go home. Desire grew in William at the prospect when the show finally ended. He could sense it in Lizzie too.

"Still want to check out the lava flow? It's only a fifteen minute drive from here," Sam suggested. Both William and Lizzie sighed inwardly. Despite their growing passion, they didn't want to be those people who turned down an opportunity like that just because they were craving each other.

"Sure! Let's go!" Lizzie said enthusiastically. William thought it was a little more enthusiastic than necessary but said nothing. They piled into the car and made the drive to the shore, where they could see the glow of the lava from a distance. They parked next to a few other cars and as soon as they got out, they were hit with wind.

"It's really picked up," Charlotte said in surprise.

"It's stronger on this side of island. We won't stay for long," Sam assured them. "It's worth it to see it once in your life. Either way, we're probably gonna need a shower from the ash. Turn around and walk backwards when it bothers you."

The thought of a shower sounded good to William right now. A shower with a naked and soap-sudded Lizzie sounded even better. He wanted to run his hands all over her alabaster skin and ached to have her body tightly wrapped around him as they gave into temptation.

"Ready?" Sam asked, bringing William out of his inappropriately-timed fantasy and breaking eye contact with Lizzie. He noticed a faint blush as she looked away, telling him that her mind was running away from her as well. They both wanted the same thing and they would have to use every ounce of patience they had left.

"Let's go see Mother Nature at its finest," Charlotte answered.

* * *

"Are we ignoring the night before the wedding traditions?" Charlotte jokingly asked Lizzie as they walked into the house. Sam headed to their bedroom to take a shower. "Or are you making me sleep in another room tonight?"

"Considering how many other traditions we've ignored, yes," Lizzie said. William let go of her hand, gesturing with his head to their bedroom and giving her a heated look. She held up one finger, promising to be there in a minute. She watched him in appreciation as he headed down the hall seemingly strutting as if he knew her eyes were on him. Charlotte cleared her throat and Lizzie whipped her head back around, smiling sheepishly and temporarily pushing away her thoughts of getting her hands on his lean body.

"I don't think sleeping in the same room is going to do you a bit of harm. Just don't stay up _too_ late," Lizzie said.

"I could say the same for you," Charlotte smirked.

"Don't you give me sass, missy," Lizzie narrowed her eyes at her. "You've got an important day ahead of you."

"I know, I know," Charlotte said with a genuine smile. "Thank you for being here."

"You know I wouldn't miss it for the world," Lizzie said warmly as they hugged each other.

"Okay, I'm saving the rest of this mushy stuff for tomorrow," Charlotte said, waving her off. "Wouldn't want to deprive you of your husband any longer."

"I'll be able to say the same thing to you after tomorrow!" Lizzie said in a sing-song tone as she strutted down the hall.

"Whatever!" Charlotte shouted, pausing at her door. "Good night!"

"Night, Char," Lizzie laughed, walking into the bedroom and closing the door behind her. She leaned against it and gave herself a moment, calling back up those feelings of lust for her husband that she had had to tamp down while they were at the lava flow. She heard the shower running and looked around the room to see a trail of clothes leading to the bathroom. Grinning to herself, she grabbed the hem of her dress and lifted up and over her head, dropping it to the floor before walking into the bathroom. She sighed in appreciation when she saw her naked husband standing under the water in the outside shower. She reached behind her back and unclasped her bra, letting it fall to the floor and then wiggled out of her underwear. She stopped at the open sliding and leaned against the frame, admiring him for a moment. He was facing partially away from her but she could see him rubbing his face with his hands while water ran down his lean back. She was itching to get her hands all over him, especially with the way he had been staring at her tonight. He looked like he was ready to pounce when she was on stage and he had been taunting her with his touches afterwards and now, all she wanted was him.

"Hi," Lizzie murmured, slinking her way over to him and getting shivers when she felt the warm water hit her. She pressed her body to his back and wrapped her arms around his waist, kissing his shoulder. He glanced behind him and smiled. "I see you were in a hurry to get your clothes off."

"I would have liked to have taken yours off as well," William replied smoothly as she started to kiss along the back of his shoulders.

"You were mentally doing that earlier," Lizzie said lowly. She began to inch her hand down his firm stomach down past his navel and she felt him take a deep sigh. "I could tell by the expression in your eyes."

A switch flipped in him and he turned in her arms, lifting his hands and framing her face. He bent down and kissed her, teasing her lips with the tip of his tongue. He pulled her in closer to him and she whimpered in anticipation when she felt him hard against her. Her lips parted and he ran his tongue along the roof of her mouth. A sense of urgency returned in both of them and he spun them around, backing her close to the shower wall. His hands slid down to her butt and gave her a little squeeze, and she giggled against his lips. He moved his hands further down and gripped the back of her thighs. Lizzie threw her arms around his neck as he lifted her up off the floor with ease and she wrapped her legs around his torso. She gasped softly when he pushed her against the shower wall and he grinned at her before leaning in and kissing up her neck.

"Lost all patience, have we?" Lizzie asked breathily, squirming for more when she felt him pressed against her entrance.

"As if _you_ have any left either, love," William said huskily. Lizzie dug her nails into the back of his neck and moaned in pleasure as he entered her. Her gaze met his and unadulterated arousal rushed through her veins as she saw the lust in his darkening blue eyes. With the long build-up all night, she squeezed her thighs tighter around him and he began to thrust hard into her. She was in the mood for fast and rough and she loved how quickly he picked up on it. She kissed him with a hunger within her and he kissed her back with just as much passion. His strokes were wonderfully deep and he kept loosening his grip on her that she would slide down the wall and pull him in even more. The air was filled with their mingled moans and the sound of hot water hitting their bodies. The way his arms looks as he held her and how his thighs contracted with every thrust had her feeling like she would burst into flame any moment. She leaned in and bit down on his earlobe, nipping and pulling on it gently as he brought her closer and closer to what she needed. Sliding one hand through his dripping wet hair and bracing the other against the wall, she begged for more and he responded immediately. She whimpered and moaned as he worked harder and faster than before. After teetering on the edge for only a few seconds more, she cried out his name as bliss overtook her. William was only a few strokes behind her and he growled as he came, holding on tight to Lizzie as shared pleasure flowed between them.

"I love outdoor showers," Lizzie sighed, dropping her head against the shower. He hummed his agreement and kissed her shoulder. Hesitantly, he lifted her up and off and she whimpered at the loss as he lowered her to the ground. She leaned into him, enjoying the warm water on her back as they stood there in silence for a bit. "I need a real shower now. Stay with me?"

"I'll wash your hair if you wash mine," William offered teasingly, smiling at her when she looked up at him.

"I'm taking you up on that offer," She stood on up her toes and casually kissed him. "I love the way you wash my hair. I might just drag you to bed for another round."

"When is there ever dragging? I'm always ready when you are," William said, waggling his eyebrows.

* * *

 _Saturday, February 3rd_

The house was buzzing with excitement and activity right after breakfast. Both Charlotte's and Sam's families had arrived, ready for the day. Lizzie had emailed and talked with Sam's mother and sister-in-law, Leilani, for the past couple months but it was her first time meeting them. Once they were all familiar, all six of them piled into the largest car to head to the Mauna Lani Spa. She had arranged for a full body massage for Charlotte while the rest of them would be getting everything else done. That was only the beginning of what was in store for Charlotte today. Lizzie wanted her to be well taken care of on her wedding day.

"Lizzie, seriously? You didn't have to do all this," Charlotte said, reading through the small list of spa treatments she would be experiencing. She and Lizzie were still standing outside while the others went to check in for their appointments.

"Am I not your unofficial matron of honor?" Lizzie asked with a knowing look.

"You're my _official_ matron of honor," Charlotte corrected. "But…"

"No buts, Charlotte," Lizzie said. "Remember when you were planning my bachelorette party and I said I would do to you what you did to me?"

Charlotte frowned and then sighed. "Yea."

"This is the next best thing. The hair and nails are standard for any bride. You have complete control of what they do so you can get whatever you want," Lizzie assured her. "The massage is just my…bachelorette gift."

"There's not going to be some random guy pretending to be my stripper massage therapist popping out from behind the curtain, is there?" Charlotte asked.

"Damn! Missed opportunity," Lizzie joked. "I promise. No surprises from me. Today is going to be the most laid back wedding day ever."

"I can't believe I'm getting married today," Charlotte said quietly. "Definitely not what I expected when we were planning this trip."

"Don't you think that's the best part? The anticipation is minimal," Lizzie said. "I know you hate being the center of attention so we made the spotlight as tiny as possible."

"And that's why we're such amazing friends," Charlotte smiled. "Thank you for everything."

"Don't give me all the credit," Lizzie waved it off. "You know this is all Sam…with a dash of William."

"We found ourselves some really great guys," Charlotte remarked, not for the first time on this trip.

"We sure did," Lizzie agreed, looping her arm through hers. "Come on. Let's go get pampered and then we're getting you married."

* * *

Lunch was included with their spa day and time seemed to pass by more quickly than they expected. Sam's mother was regaling Charlotte with stories of his childhood all afternoon. Charlotte's mom began to share stories of Charlotte's childhood and the mothers began to go back and forth with cute anecdotes. Lizzie sat back and listened as the two kept talking about raising kids. She took mental notes while enjoying her pedicure.

She occasionally sent updates to William when he wasn't sending her some of his own. The set up for the ceremony went as planned and they were mainly killing time until the entertainment and the officiant arrived, which would be soon. Sam had arranged for the ceremony to begin just before sunset, which left a little over two hours for the ladies to get ready. It was plenty of time since the only thing left was hair and none of them were getting complicated hairstyles. Once Sam's mother had told Charlotte about a few wedding traditions, she was easily convinced to have it simply curled and left down. Lizzie wanted to do the same, knowing William would be quite appreciative of her decision.

Once they were done at the spa, they went to Mrs. Lu's hotel room where Charlotte's wedding dress was waiting. Lizzie had brought her own dress with her to change into, knowing it was perfect for a tropical wedding. The soft pink long, flowing gown with blossoms printed all over fit her as well as the first time she wore it nearly three years ago on her and William's last night on Fregate. She had worn it only a few times since because she felt that it was a special dress and the look on William's face when he saw her in it was something she always cherished. Mrs. Lu lent her a hand and tied the neck of her dress before they both helped Charlotte with her dress.

"Charlotte! That dress is perfect!" Maria squealed after Lizzie zipped her up and she had put on simple but comfortable sandals with white straps. She had picked a long sleeveless chiffon dress with a beaded keyhole neckline. There was a small cut-out in the back of her dress and the waist was fitted with a crisscross pattern while her skirt was layered, giving her an ethereal look when she moved in it.

"You look gorgeous," Lizzie said proudly.

"I feel fantastic in this dress," Charlotte beamed.

"My little girl…" Mrs. Lu trailed off, waving her hand in her face to keep from crying. "Not so little anymore." Charlotte hugged her tightly.

When they pulled apart, her mom took out a small box from her purse. "We've got to keep up with the traditions and I have just the thing to help. Your dress is your something new..."

Charlotte and Lizzie watched her mom open the box and both of them recognized the object immediately. It was a silver bracelet with tiny embedded emeralds that her grandmother had worn all the time. The two of them had always admired it when they were little.

"This is your something old and something borrowed," Mrs. Lu said as she clasped the silver bracelet around Charlotte's wrist. "Your grandfather gave it to your grandmother as a wedding gift on their wedding and she let me borrow it on mine. It was my something borrowed and old and now it's yours, as well."

"I love it," Charlotte said softly, brushing her fingers along the edge. She looked up after a moment. "My something blue?"

"It's at the house," Mrs. Kekoa piped up. "Which, by the way, we should be heading to now."

With that simple reminder, the ladies grabbed everything they needed and hurried into the car. Lizzie texted William to let him know they were on their way so he would make sure Sam wouldn't see them. William greeted them as they pulled up and Lizzie's smile grew. He was wearing a pair of well-fitted khaki pants and a white linen button up shirt with the first two buttons undone and the sleeves folded up, showing off his forearms. His eyes lit up at the sight of her as he opened her door.

"Hey, beautiful," William said, holding out a hand for her.

"Hey yourself, handsome," Lizzie returned. "Shouldn't you be saving the compliments for the bride?"

"Firstly, you'll always be _my_ bride," William said sweetly, kissing her cheek. "Secondly, I am filled with infinite compliments."

"I think I'll keep you then," Lizzie said cheekily.

"Lucky me," William laughed before offering a hand to Charlotte, who was inching her way to the edge of the seat. She took it and he helped her out of the car.

"I'm glad I have such two wonderful friends who flirt so openly in front of me on _my_ wedding day," Charlotte said, smiling at the two of them.

"I couldn't very well flirt with your husband-to-be so it was being bottled up all day," William said, as Lizzie snickered. "And let me tell you how wonderful you look, Charlotte. You'll render him speechless."

"As long as he's still able to say 'I do', I'm fine with that," Charlotte said cheekily before catching Mrs. Kekoa beckoning her over out of the corner of her eye. "I'm not quite done getting ready so if you'll excuse me."

Lizzie and Charlotte left his side and followed Mrs. Kekoa into one of the bedrooms for her last-minute addition. She explained that a few Hawaiian wedding customs would be used for the wedding while Leilani came in with a floral Haku, adorned with blue Plumbago flowers.

"Your something blue," Mrs. Kekoa said, placing the crown on top of Charlotte's head. She and Leilani took a couple minutes to pin it to her head, making sure it was straight. When they finished, they stood back and with satisfied smiles on their faces. They guided her to a mirror to show her the final look and even Lizzie couldn't stop the rogue tear from escaping. She quickly wiped it away as Charlotte turned around to look at her and they smiled tearfully at each other.

"I'm ready now."

* * *

They had been handed their bouquets and Lizzie squeezed Charlotte's free hand before she stepped outside to hear the distinct sound of a ukulele playing. She began to walk slowly towards the ceremony space, taking in the simple elegance of the decorated backyard. There was one photographer skillfully staying out of the way as she snapped pictures. Sam stood in front of a bamboo arch that covered in tropical flowers and white curtains tied up at the corners. It was placed in front of two of the main palm trees, framing it and giving them a perfect view of the sunset sky behind them. Five chairs were placed on each side with lit tiki torches signaling the beginning of the aisle. Sam was wearing the same outfit as William, who stood next to him, with the exception of having a Maile-style Ti Leaf Lei hanging around his neck. The officiant sounded off a conch shell, signaling Charlotte's entrance while everybody stood.

If Lizzie had any shred of doubts about Sam's love for her best friend before, it would have been shattered by the look of pure joy on Sam's face when he saw Charlotte. She took her place opposite of Sam and Lizzie quickly took her bouquet so Charlotte could take his hands. They looked to the officiant so he could begin.

"Aloha to Sam and Charlotte and to our guests," the officiant began. "Aloha is truly the perfect word to describe a wedding as aloha means hello, good-bye and with love and that is exactly what you are doing here today. You are saying aloha to your single lives forever, saying aloha to your married life to one another, and you are doing it with love. So I bid you two Aloha."

Lizzie looked over to William and he beamed at her. She knew from his expression that he was getting flashbacks of their own wedding. She still remembered the look on his face when he saw her and his vows to her. It had been the best day of her life and she was so happy to be included in Charlotte's today.

"In Hawaii, the lei is a symbol of affection and like a wedding ring. This flower garland is an unbroken circle that represents your eternal commitment and devotion to one another," the officiant continued, picking up two leis from the small table beside him. "The beauty of each individual flower is not lost when it becomes a part of the garland, but is enhanced because of the strength of the bond. Just as each of you are individuals, you're coming together as one serves to enhance each of your beauty and strengthen the love that was already present in each of your hearts."

The officiant presented them with leis to exchange. Sam went first and carefully put the lei on her, saying Aloha and kissing each cheek. Charlotte followed suit and laughed a little when he bent down so she could easily put it around his neck. The officiant continued with the ceremony, talking about Hawaiian traditions and the strength of love. They pledged their 'I dos' and then he nodded to William, who pulled out the wedding rings from his pocket and handed them over.

"At this point, the bride and groom will exchange vows. Sam has requested that the vows be spoken in Hawaiian," the officiant stated. Charlotte looked nervous and Sam squeezed her hand.

"I'll speak slowly and then I'll help you with yours," Sam assured her while everybody chuckled. He grabbed Charlotte's ring and held it at the tip of her left ring finger. "Aloha au 'ia 'oe. No kêia la, no kea pô, a mau loa. Male ana e pili mai aloha kâua. Aloha aku nô, aloha mai nô. Mahalo e ke Akua nô kêia lâ. Eia au, eia 'oe. Ka honi mai me ke aloha. No kau a kau. Ma'ane'i nô ke aloha. E kipa mai E ku'u aloha. Aloha au 'ia 'oe."

Sam slipped the ring on her finger and she let out a shaky breath as she took his ring. She held the ring close to his left ring finger while Sam said the words once more while Charlotte repeated them. There was a small applause for her when she finished and she was beaming as she slipped the ring on his finger.

"Charlotte and Sam, you have pledged your eternal Aloha to one another and your commitment to live together faithfully in wedlock. By the authority vested in me by the laws of the State of Hawaii, I pronounce you husband and wife. Sam, you may kiss your bride!" the officiant exclaimed. "Aloha!"

Everybody shouted aloha as Sam took Charlotte in his arms, kissing her with enthusiasm. Lizzie and William clapped and exchanged happy looks when Sam dipped Charlotte for one more kiss. She threw her arms around his neck, laughing against his lips from his gesture. The whole scene proved to be the perfect wedding photo that would later be used as their wedding announcement. The sky was deep in sunset with blue, orange and pink hues, providing the ideal background for the end of their ceremony.

* * *

The backyard was effortlessly transformed into a reception space within minutes after pictures had been taken. Sam's father and brother brought out a long table and pulled the chairs from the ceremony over to it. Once everybody was ready to eat, a feast of Hawaiian food was brought out for everyone to enjoy. Nearly everybody gave a small speech since it was mainly family. At the end of dinner, Sam clinked his glass to get everyone's attention and stood up.

"I wanted to thank my family and my new extended family for being able to be here today," Sam said. "It was important that you were here to celebrate this day with me and Charlotte. A huge thank you to Lizzie and William. This wouldn't have happened without your help and I am truly grateful for your friendship."

Lizzie and William each lifted their glass at his words as he continued.

"And to my new wife," Sam said, breaking into a grin at the word and looking to her. "I love you. You have made my life better and I know it will only improve from here. Thank you for not saying no and thinking this was a crazy idea in the first place. I know you're not a fan of surprises but I hope you will always see this as a good one."

"One of the best," Charlotte said happily.

"And I have one more surprise for you," Sam said, pulling out an envelope "Hawaii is not our final honeymoon destination."

"What…" Charlotte trailed off as he handed her the envelope.

"Fitz and Brandon have graciously lent us their timeshare in Fiji for the next week and a half," Sam announced. "Our flight leaves tomorrow morning."

"Seriously?" Charlotte's eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"Brought your passport and everything," Sam grinned. The guests piped up at once, telling them that certain activities and dinners were on them as wedding gifts. Charlotte was caught in a loop of thanking everybody and Lizzie could tell that she looked a little overwhelmed by the generosity. She quietly pointed it out to Sam and he took over the situation, declaring that dinner was over and it was time for some dancing.

* * *

William and Lizzie were taking a break from dancing. She was sitting on his lap and resting her head against his shoulder while he brushed the tips of his fingers up and down her arm while humming along to the music. She was determined to stay up to enjoy their last night in Hawaii but the reception was starting to wind down. Charlotte's and Sam's parents had both called it a night a while ago and Maria had just left.

"They look so happy," William murmured, moving his gaze to Sam and Charlotte. They were swaying to the music and holding each other close, Charlotte's hands clasped behind Sam's back.

"They should. It _is_ their wedding day," Lizzie said quietly. "The goal is to look that happy even years after that day."

"Like three?" William offered. Lizzie lifted her head and looked at him at him for a moment, noticing the twinkle in his eyes.

"Exactly," Lizzie replied, leaning in and kissing him softly. "But the better goal would be more like forty or fifty years."

"That's a given," William said, the corner of his lips twitching up. "Everybody focuses on the bigger anniversary years. I'd rather focus on _every_ one."

"Every anniversary with you is important. I'd be worried if you ever forgot one."

"I won't. I promise. You are too important to forget," William said, brushing his thumb across her cheek before kissing her. After a few moments, there was a throat clearing and they pulled apart to see Charlotte and Sam standing before them.

"We're the newlyweds and you're the ones making out," Charlotte pointed out.

"Nobody's stopping you," Lizzie shot back.

"She makes a good point, babe," Sam chuckled, swooping in to kiss Charlotte's cheek.

"Do you want some privacy? Is this your subtle way of calling it a night?" Lizzie asked.

"Actually, we're losing the entertainment soon and I was hoping for a dance with Lizzie," Sam replied.

"And I was hoping to steal William," Charlotte finished.

"As long as you give him back. I super like him," Lizzie said playfully, getting up from his lap.

"Lizzie," William chuckled as he stood up. "I'd be happy to dance with you, Charlotte."

The four of them made their way closer to the music and Charlotte smiled at Leilani, who was dancing with Luka.

"I have to thank you, William," Charlotte said, looking up at him. "For all of your help. It was everything I didn't know I wanted."

"You're welcome," William said, "It was mostly Sam, though. And Lizzie, of course. I was simply around to lend a hand when needed."

"I'm still very grateful," Charlotte said with a knowing look.

"You've deserved it all," William said warmly. "I know I said it before but you look gorgeous, Charlotte. You make a beautiful bride."

"Thank you," Charlotte looked down for a second to hide her reddening cheeks. "And thank you for being so good to Lizzie. She couldn't have found a better partner than you, William."

"I think you and I can safely say we are both very lucky people," William said, noticing Sam spinning Lizzie over to the two of them. "Having fun?"

"Always," Lizzie said, taking a breath and grabbing William's arm for balance. "But I think that's enough dancing for me."

"Did my husband tire you out?" Charlotte asked happily, lighting up at her realization about the significance of her words as Sam moved to her side.

"Yes," Lizzie said simply, giving her a gentle smile. She knew exactly what Charlotte was feeling at that moment. She still got a flutter of joy whenever she called William her husband. It was the most intense during the first few months and she knew Charlotte was about to experience that happiness. "I think we're going to call it a night. Long day."

"You're telling me," Charlotte said. "I'm sure tomorrow will be just as long."

"But the end result will be worth it," Sam said with a smile.

"It always is," William said warmly, kissing Lizzie's temple.

"Alright, I'm taking him to bed before these two try to out-do each other on how awesome we are," Lizzie said.

"Spoiler alert: we're both equally awesome," Charlotte said, high-fiving Lizzie before pulling her in for a hug. William and Sam stepped away, giving them a few moments and walking over to Luka and Leilani.

"Have an amazing time on your honeymoon. Take lots of pictures…but you know, not too many. I want to know you're actually having fun," Lizzie said lightly. Charlotte laughed and shook her head at her.

"I will take as many as I take," Charlotte said. "And I'll even bring you back a present."

"Ooh! Now I'm excited!" Lizzie grinned. "I'll bring you back something from New York too."

"Right! I'd wish you good luck but I already know you're going to kick ass," Charlotte said proudly. They both turned as William came sprinting over.

"Hey, Sam's asking for you. Luka and Leilani are leaving," William said.

"Thanks, William. I'll leave this one to you," Charlotte said, giving both of them a quick hug before she walked towards Sam. William casually bent down and plucked a hibiscus flower from one of the arrangements, spinning it between his fingers while Lizzie watched Charlotte until she reached her new husband.

"Today was a really good day," Lizzie said, turning to him.

"It was," William agreed. "You were beautiful as always."

"Thank you, Will," Lizzie said softly, her cheeks reddening slightly to his delight.

"Want to head to bed?" William asked, nodding towards the house behind her.

"Thinking you're going to get lucky again?" Lizzie teased him.

A smile slowly spread across his face. He brought the flower up and gently placed it in her hair, just above her left ear. He dropped his hand and admired her for a moment.

"I already am lucky."

* * *

 _Notes:_

 _The translation for Sam's Hawaiian vows: I love you. From this day, from this night, forever more. We two will cling to love in marriage. I give my love to you, you give your love to me. Thanks be to God this day. Here I am, here you are and with love is a kiss. For eternity. For love is here and now. Come to me my love. I love you._

 _I don't take credit for his vows. I found them on a Hawaiian wedding site. I'd like to think that his parents shared the same vows and he wanted to do the same thing._

 _There are plenty of extras for this chapter, including Charlotte's dress, and I'll be sharing them over the next few days. I hope you enjoyed this chapter because it was fun to write and do research for. I want to thank Mags and Sarah for help with certain extras, especially Sarah for being an amazing beta (really, editor levels of amazing)._

 _Stayed tuned!_


	6. Worth the Wait

_Summary: Lizzie and William have back to back business trips that leave them with limited time together. They're both looking forward to coming home to each other._

* * *

 _Notes: Time for the marathon of business trips. Are you ready?_

* * *

By the time Lizzie and William got up on Sunday, Charlotte and Sam had already left for their flight to Fiji. They found a note on the kitchen counter thanking them for everything, and after cleaning up, packing up, and locking up, they headed to the airport. The flight home was pleasant since it was just the two of them on the small jet. William had arranged for a car to pick them up once they landed and it was late afternoon by the time they were pulling up to their place.

"I feel like I shouldn't even unpack," Lizzie said as she put her suitcase on the bed. "I'm leaving again in two days."

"I don't quite think you'll be warm enough with your tropical wear," William replied.

"Ugh," Lizzie groaned, dropping her head.

"Forgot that it was winter in New York, huh?" William asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Maybe," Lizzie said with a sheepish smile, unpacking her clothes. "It's for the best. I don't think I would be knocking anybody off their feet by wearing a bathing suit. Except my husband, of course."

"You knock _me_ off my feet," William said as he unzipped his suitcase. Lizzie nudged stood on her toes and gave him a kiss on the cheek for his sweet words.

"I'm going to throw these in the laundry," Lizzie said, grabbing her pile of clothes and leaving the bedroom. William spent the next few minutes unpacking and throwing his clothes in his laundry basket before putting away his toiletries. Once he finished, he put away his suitcase and walked out to the living room to find Lizzie going through the mail.

"Anything good?" William asked, looking over her shoulder.

"Mostly bills," Lizzie said and then held up one envelope addressed to her. "Finally got my new insurance card. I get the lovely task of finding a new doctor. That's always fun."

"You could just go to mine," William suggested, reading the letter. "Dr. Gordon has been my doctor for ten years. He's one of the best."

"Do you think he's taking new patients?" Lizzie asked.

"I can check for you and get you set up. I know your schedule and everything," William offered. "Plus, you're going to be busy with prepping for New York and Scholastic."

"You sure?" Lizzie asked and he nodded. "What would I do without you?"

"Spend three days on the internet researching every doctor available at UCSF Medical Center and getting frustrated because you can't figure out which would be the best for you?" William said.

"Yea…probably," Lizzie laughed. She stood on her toes and kissed his cheek. "This will save me a ton of time. Thank you so much, Will."

"Anytime," William said sincerely. "You've done the same for me plenty of times."

"True. The perks of having a spouse," Lizzie said, squeezing his arm before noticing the time. "We need to call Jane and Bing sooner than later. We don't want to miss the twins because they're already in bed. And I want to double-check that Andrea and I are okay to stop by for dinner on Tuesday night."

"I'll get Domino set up," William said. "You should text her to let her know."

"Good idea," Lizzie said, pulling out her phone. "I was planning to get a little work done afterwards so I can be caught up before tomorrow."

"I was thinking of getting some done as well. Takeout for dinner?" William asked.

"Perfect. I didn't really want to cook anyway," Lizzie said before reminding him, "it's your turn to pick. Preferably not seafood. Had enough of that this week already."

"I'll think of something good," William promised.

Lizzie and William had a long and enjoyable video call with Jane, Bing, and the twins before they retreated to their offices to get some work done. The moment Lizzie's stomach began to growl, William knocked on her door to tell her Mediterranean food was waiting for her. They ate and cuddled on the couch while catching up on their recorded shows before going to bed just after ten.

* * *

 _Tuesday, February 6th_

Lizzie had one meeting at the office at the beginning of the day. She planned to take her luggage to work and then she and Andrea would leave for the airport directly afterwards. William dropped her off so she wouldn't have to worry about leaving her car at work for half the week. Before he let her go, he gave her a long goodbye kiss that left her breathless when he pulled away.

"For good luck?" Lizzie asked curiously.

William nodded. "And because I'll miss you."

"It's barely three days. I'll be back before you know it," Lizzie said, comforting him. "And you know I'll be inundating you with messages while I'm gone."

"I've made sure my phone is charged," William joked. "Give the twins extra hugs and tell them they're from me."

"If I _have_ to," Lizzie said, rolling her neck for emphasis. "I've got their gifts all packed. I'm ready for everything."

"I believe you are," William said, his voice laced with pride. Lizzie looked at him with a sweet softness and brought a hand up to his cheek before leaning in to give him a quick kiss.

"I will see you Thursday and I'll give you updates along the way," Lizzie said, grabbing her suitcase and adjusting her shoulder bag. "I love you."

"Lizzie? I know you're going to do well," William said as she began to head towards the front of her building. "And I love you too."

Lizzie glanced over her shoulder and smiled brightly at him before waving him goodbye. She barely had time to settle into her office before Andrea came in to grab her for their meeting. Thankfully, it was shorter than anticipated and it gave them a little extra time to get to the airport.

Their plane took off a little over an hour later and Lizzie and Andrea spent much of the time strategizing for the following day. Lizzie would only admit to herself - and to William - that she was nervous about the whole thing. While Scholastic asked to meet with them, nothing was set in stone. They would be the biggest client in her company's short history if she impressed them enough. They had exchanged a few emails and she could tell they were saving the most important information for the meeting itself. She and Andrea had prepared as if they were going in completely blind and planning to sell from every angle. They were good at it too and knew how to play to each other's strengths. It was how they had managed to sign on as many clients as they did in the first year of business.

Waiting until the pitch was always nerve-wracking for Lizzie, but William's constant texts of encouragement usually gave her that extra boost of confidence that she needed. She was ready for anything, and despite how large Scholastic was, this would be no different. All she had to do was stay out of her head so she wouldn't psych herself out and she was thankful Andrea was with her to make sure it didn't happen.

* * *

Once Lizzie and Andrea had checked in to their hotel and settled into their rooms, it was nearly five. Lizzie had just enough time to freshen up and call William to let him know they got in safely before meeting Andrea downstairs at the lobby so they could take a taxi to Jane and Bing's townhouse.

"Oh, it's so much colder here," Andrea said as they hurried up the stairs, being careful of the snow.

"We are not built for East Coast winters," Lizzie said, pulling her coat in tighter. She knocked on the front door and Jane opened it a few moments later.

"Hey! It's so good to see you!" Jane said, beckoning them in. "Come in from the cold! You're just in time. Bing was just finishing dinner and the twins are getting antsy to see you."

"I'm antsy to see them!" Lizzie said as they hugged. "I have extra hugs to give them from William. Where are they?"

"Just up the stairs," Jane replied. "I'd give you a tour but Scarlett insists on doing it herself."

"I think we can wait," Lizzie laughed as she began to head to the second floor.

"Jane, I hope it wasn't too much trouble that we're here for dinner," Andrea said, taking their time to get to the stairs.

"Our house is open to all family. That includes business family," Jane waved her off. "I'm glad you came. I think I haven't seen you since the wedding!"

"Has it really? That's way too long," Andrea said.

"We need to catch up," Jane said, hearing the squeals of her kids from the stairs. "Right now, I've got two small toddlers I'd love for you to finally meet."

"I've heard so much about them from Lizzie that I feel like I already have," Andrea laughed.

"She and William love to boast," Jane said as the sounds of running got louder, followed by her husband's muffled voice. "We should get up there before anything breaks."

"Does that happen often?" Andrea jokingly asked.

"Even with child-proofing this place," Jane nodded. "You'd be surprised. It's like there's four of them sometimes."

"We shouldn't waste another moment then!"

* * *

"Bing, you cook a wonderful meal," Lizzie said. She had helped clear the table and when she returned, Charlie climbed into Lizzie's lap, much to her delight. Scarlett had already warmed up to Andrea and kept asking her silly questions all throughout the meal.

"It's always nice have you join us for one," Bing replied happily. "It's the least we could do with all the work you did over the holidays."

"It wasn't so bad. I got to spend time with these two," Lizzie said, squeezing Charlie closer to her. He giggled and squirmed in her hold.

"Plus, we got to hear all about Hawaii. Charlotte's wedding sounds so romantic," Jane said kindly. "I can't wait to see the pictures."

"It really was. The photographer got some great shots. I think you'll be seeing them as soon as they come back from their honeymoon," Lizzie said.

"Married in Hawaii and honeymooning in Fiji. Sounds like paradise," Jane sighed dreamily.

"Speaking of, William and I brought back a few things. If you wouldn't mind, Jane," Lizzie said, gesturing to her bag. Jane got up and opened it, found some wrapped packages, and brought them over to Lizzie. "Thank you."

"Presents?" Scarlett perked up.

"Have you been good since Christmas?" Lizzie asked, eyeing her down. Scarlett nodded eagerly.

"I help Mommy and Daddy clean," she replied. "I pick up all my toys and put them away by myself."

"Really?"

"She's very insistent on doing it herself now," Jane said, smiling at her daughter.

"What about you, Charlie?" Lizzie asked softly, looking down at him. "What have you been doing?"

"I help Daddy," Charlie said simply.

Bing nodded as confirmation before saying, "He helped me make dinner, actually."

"Well then. I think you two deserve these," Lizzie said, handing a package over to Scarlett before giving the other to Charlie. Scarlett tore hers open while Charlie took his time. Lizzie and William had bought puka shell necklaces for both of them and found two children's books about the history of Hawaii and Pele, the Hawaiian Volcano Goddess.

"Pretty!" Scarlett squealed, holding up the necklace. Jane reached over and helped put it on over her head while Lizzie helped Charlie.

"What do you say to Auntie Lizzie?"

"Thank you!" Charlie and Scarlett chorused.

"You're welcome," Lizzie replied, watching Charlie flip through the pages of his book before looking back up at her.

"Will you read to me for bedtime?" Charlie asked, giving her a pleading look that Lizzie found impossible to resist.

"Charlie, I don't know if she can stay that long. You still have bath time," Jane said sweetly, trying to let him down gently.

"I would love to, actually," Lizzie said, glancing to Andrea. "As long as it's okay with you?"

"As if I'd pull you away from these two," Andrea said. "We're more than prepared for tomorrow. Take your time."

"You stay and help too," Scarlett piped up, tugging on her sleeve. "Please?"

"Really? I will if you want me to," Andrea said and Scarlett bounced excitedly.

"I think it's time we show your Auntie Lizzie and Andrea around the house so we can get to bath and bed time," Jane recommended. Lizzie helped Charlie off her lap and he took her hand while Scarlett took the lead.

"Follow me!"

After Scarlett and Charlie took Lizzie and Andrea on a rather enthusiastic tour of their place, Lizzie helped Jane with their baths and getting them into their pajamas. Scarlett didn't give her a hard time like before and Lizzie was thankful for it. She tucked both kids into bed and read to them, kissing them goodnight, and turning off the lights.

"I thought it would take a lot longer for them to fall asleep," Andrea admitted to Jane as they were pulling on their coats. "Scarlett is a big ball of energy."

"She really is but once you get her into bed, she's so mellow," Jane said fondly.

"And Charlie is such a sweetie. A little quiet though," Andrea pointed out.

"He takes a while to warm up to new people," Lizzie said. "Even family. I think the Sunday calls are helping, Jane. He didn't shy away from me at all tonight."

"The calls are definitely helping. They've been looking forward to seeing you ever since you said you were coming," Jane agreed. "And Bing and I are excited for you. Scholastic would be a big step for your company."

"We're cautiously optimistic," Lizzie said, a tinge of nervousness in her voice.

"Honestly, I'm optimistic and Lizzie's cautious. I think we're exactly what they're looking for even if we don't quite know what they're looking for," Andrea said confidently.

"I'm sure!" Jane laughed. "I'm going to let you two get going before it gets too late. Keep me updated!"

"We will," Andrea said, thanking Jane with a quick hug goodbye then heading outside to give Lizzie a moment.

"Thank you for dinner and letting me help get the twins to bed. They're getting so big," Lizzie said, hugging her sister. "The place looks fantastic, by the way. I can see why you fell in love with it."

"It really feels like home now," Jane replied before squeezing her hand for good measure. "And we're here any time you need. Your meeting is going to go well tomorrow. I just know it."

"You always know what to say to make me feel better," Lizzie smiled at her.

"What else are big sisters for?" Jane said with a twinkle in her eye.

"Let me think about it for a minute," Lizzie said, scrunching up her face.

"Oh, shush," Jane scoffed. "You need to go before Andrea freezes out there."

"Love you, Jane," Lizzie said warmly.

"Love you, too," Jane replied.

* * *

 _Wednesday, February 7th_

Lizzie was more nervous about the Scholastic meeting than she had been in a long time. Her stomach was turning and food didn't sound appealing at all. She was getting stuck in the moment that something could go wrong at any moment and everything would fall through. She knew was ridiculous to think this way but her mind was running away from her. What she needed was a pep talk from her husband but it was still too early on the west coast. She settled for a long, hot shower, which helped her nerves but not her appetite. She was just putting her outfit together when she saw her phone blinking. Hoping it wasn't a missed call or voicemail, she quickly grabbed it and then smiled as she read the message.

 _William 8:02 am_

Eat something. You'll regret it later.

 _Lizzie 8:02 am_

How do you know I'm not eating right now? And why are you up so early?

 _William 8:04 am_

Because I know you and you don't eat when you're nervous. Scholastic contacted YOU. They want YOUR company. Remember that.

 _William 8:05 am_

And I don't sleep well when you're not around.

 _Lizzie 8:05 am_

Neither do I.

This is such a big company.

 _William 8:06 am_

They are.

Doesn't mean you can't handle them though.

Now, eat some breakfast and let me know when you're out.

 _Lizzie 8:08 am_

I needed this.

 _William 8:08 am_

I know. I love you.

 _Lizzie 8:09 am_

I love you too.

I'm going to get dressed and get some food.

 _William 8:11 am_

Are you not dressed? Could I help you relieve some stress? ;)

 _Lizzie 8:12 am_

Too late! I've got layers on.

You'll have to wait until I come home tomorrow.

 _William 8:12 am_

Damn.

 _William 8:35 am_

Worth the wait, though.

* * *

After breakfast at their hotel, Lizzie and Andrea spent the last hour before the meeting making sure they had everything with them and going over their presentation. On the way to the Scholastic offices, Lizzie received a few more encouraging texts from William and Andrea kept Lizzie busy by telling her to practice out loud. The amount of reassuring nods and positive feedback from Andrea had Lizzie's tension melting away in no time. She had never felt as confident as she did when they Andrea checked in and took their seats in the reception area. After a few minutes, a tall middle-aged woman walked out of her office and towards Lizzie and Andrea. They stood up and Lizzie ran a hand over her outfit to straighten it up, smiling as the woman approached them

"Lizzie Bennet?" the woman asked.

"Yes. You must be Judith," Lizzie said, extending her hand.

"Please, call me Judy," Judy smiled, shaking her hand before looking to Andrea. "And you are Andrea Miller?"

"I am. It's very nice to meet you," Andrea shook her hand.

"If you two would follow me, I have a couple people I'd like you to meet," Judy said, leading them to a small conference room. When they walked in, there was an older white-haired gentleman and a short brunette woman in the room waiting for them. "This is James Davis and Marianne Hopper. James is in charge of our website and Marianne is in charge of the Scholastic book clubs and children's e-content."

Lizzie and Andrea shook their hands as they were each introduced.

"Why don't you have a seat and we can get started," Judy said before sitting down herself. "First of all, I'd like to tell you how impressed we are with your company. The amount of work you've put out in the amount of time that you've been established is truly an accomplishment."

"Thank you. We pride ourselves on that," Lizzie said gratefully. "We may be smaller than other media companies but we put our personal touch on our work."

"And that's exactly what we're looking for," Judy said. "We're creating a new division that is specifically catered to our teenage audience. Our younger readers have proven to be more receptive to online content, but the teenagers are a harder sell."

"It's much easier for the younger ones, especially given what you've done for them," Lizzie said. "We've spent more than a few hours navigating through your website. The Stacks is very thorough and I've already become a fan of Ink Splot. It's a great website for the younger reader and very attractive, as well," Lizzie saw the gleam in Judy's eyes as she complimented them and it gave her a little boost to push herself. "But I can see how teenagers would be turned off. Besides your featured articles and a few teen-read lists, there's not much to keep them interested."

"You've done your homework," Judy said, sitting back in her chair. "And already figured out our weakness. We've catered to teachers, librarians, and younger students for many years and we know how to do that. We've gotten the large boosts of interested teenagers with Harry Potter and The Hunger Games but it tapers off after a while. Fantastic Beasts has brought renewed interest but that will only last so long after the last movie is released this year. What we need are a fresh pair of eyes and that's where you fit in. We are very interested to work with you after seeing what you put out and how many viewers you bring in."

"Well, Judy," Lizzie said, grabbing her bag and placing it on the table. "I think we can figure something out together."

* * *

 _William 5:22 pm_

Very anxious to hear any news from you.

It's been a long and uneventful day on my end.

 _Lizzie 6:10 pm_

May or may not have impressed Scholastic enough to be out to dinner with some Big Wigs.

Be ready tomorrow because I have SO much to tell you.

 _William 6:12 pm_

That's not much to go on! Tease.

 _Lizzie 6:12 pm_

Just know that your wife is awesome ;)

 _William 6:12 pm_

Already knew that.

 _Lizzie 6:13 pm_

Gotta get back to the table before they think something's wrong.

Love you!

 _William 6:13 pm_

Love you too.

Conversation was constant at the dinner table that night. Lizzie and Andrea learned about how Scholastic had made a few different book series popular with their readers. In turn, they talked about their own successes and how they consistently grew their follower count during their projects. Dinner was entertaining but went late. They didn't return to their hotel until after eleven pm. Lizzie barely found the strength to change before she stumbled to bed, making sure that her alarm was set for the next day.

* * *

 _Thursday, February 8th_

Lizzie and Andrea caught an afternoon flight back to San Francisco, getting home just in time for the end of the workday. They made promises to get to work early the next day and then parted ways. Lizzie came home to find William already there, taking food out of a takeout bag.

"Hello there," Lizzie said casually, walking into the kitchen.

"Hey," William said, his face lighting up as he came around the counter and pulled her in for a hug. "I'm glad you're home. I wasn't sure when you'd get here but I thought you'd be a little too tired to eat out."

"You'd be right," Lizzie said, kissing him before pulling away. "This is just what I wanted when I got home. My handsome husband and delicious food."

"Let's eat," William said, handing her a plate from the cupboard. "Then you can tell me all about your trip."

"You got it."

Lizzie spent dinner reiterating her visit to Jane and Bing's to William, giving him details about the Lees' townhouse and how the twins were.

"Charlie loved the book you picked out and Scarlett looked adorable with the necklace on," Lizzie said as they finished cleaning up.

"I'm sure I'll hear all about it on Sunday," William replied warmly.

"Probably. They really missed you," Lizzie said, brushing her hand down his arm. "But Scarlett had Andrea to distract her. It was kind of funny, really. She was asking her question after question and barely gave Andrea time to answer, though she managed to keep up with her."

"It helps that Andrea has young nephews," William noted, leading them to the couch. "She's got the experience."

"She does. I think Scarlett picked up on that and decided she was her new friend for the evening," Lizzie sat down next to him, angling herself to face him. "And I got to snuggle with Charlie."

"I'm a little envious," William admitted.

"Don't worry. He gave me extra snuggles so I could give them to you," Lizzie said cheekily.

"I intend to cash in on that tonight," William said, one corner of his mouth lifting. He reached over and took her hand. "So, how much longer do I have to wait until you tell me about Scholastic?"

"I was wondering how long you'd last until you asked," Lizzie chuckled. "I'm pretty impressed, actually."

"Don't tease me," William narrowed his eyes at her. She gave him a quick smile and leaned in to kiss the tip of his nose.

"Alright. It's a long story," Lizzie started. She proceeded to tell him about her meeting from the beginning, explaining that the company creating a new division for the teenage reader and detailing the different ideas that went back and forth. Scholastic had been impressed with Lizzie's modern and classic adaptations of Shakespeare's work and how the viewer count seemed to steadily rise each week. They wanted her to adapt one of their own books the same way. Lizzie took it one step further by suggesting creating their own website for the book and having characters interact with each other and the viewers through social media, including Twitter. If she could pull everything off, it would mean big things for both companies.

"So, they want me to create a team that would be working solely on this. The videos would be uploaded to a partner channel but obviously be linked with DEP," Lizzie finished up. "They want to see how I can handle things under pressure so they gave me a book and a week to create a mock trailer, an outline, and the fleshing out of characters."

"Only a week?" William's eyebrows went up in surprise.

"Yea," Lizzie said cautiously. "They're willing to invest a lot in this if I can impress them enough. It could mean a great partnership and a long-term contract with them."

"Lizzie…" William paused, trying to think of the best way to respond. "That is bigger than I imagined this would be. It sounds like a big undertaking for your company. You think you're ready?"

Lizzie nodded eagerly. "I know I'm capable of rising to this type of challenge even with how intimidating it is. I haven't been this excited over something so daunting since changing everything up during my last year of graduate school."

"And we know how that turned out," William said proudly.

"Right?" Lizzie scooted in closer to him. "So, Andrea and I are going to be working full-tilt on this for the next week and then we're going back to New York on the nineteenth, with our best creative director."

"That was the one week both of us didn't have a business trip this month," William pointed out forlornly.

"I know. That's the only part that sucks about this," Lizzie said apologetically. "I was looking forward to that week so I could soak up as much time with you before you go to London."

William exhaled. "This is more important. We'll take advantage of the weekends and when I come back, it will be the last big business trip for a while."

"That's good to know," Lizzie said gently, pausing for a moment. "Man, what a busy month. I thought it was busy before…"

"We can handle it. We've done it before," William assured her. "Speaking of busy, I made a couple calls and got you a doctor appointment. Dr. Gordon wasn't taking new patients but he made an exception for me. It's all written down and on the desk in your office."

"For once, I'm glad you pulled strings," Lizzie said in relief. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," William smiled before holding out his arms. "Now, I think I was promised some cuddles. It seems like a good time for that right now."

Lizzie laughed softly before reaching out for him and climbing into his lap. She leaned in and kissed him a few times, lingering and resting her forehead against his.

"I think," Lizzie said slowly, playing with the collar of his shirt, "we deserve way more than cuddling right now, Mr. Darcy."

"As always…" William's hands glided up her thighs and gently took hold of her waist, giving her a little squeeze before the corner of his mouth twitched up. "I'm inclined to agree."

* * *

Lizzie dove right into work the next day, knowing how little time she had to get everything done. She ended up bringing work home for the weekend and William assured her that it was okay, despite his impending week-long business trip to Los Angeles. They still found time to relax before he and Fitz left on Monday morning with plans to return on Friday. She worked until midnight on Monday and was scolded by William over the phone the next morning since he knew her overly-tired voice. He made her promise that she would go home at a reasonable hour for the rest of the week, knowing she did her best when she was well-rested.

Lydia convinced her to go out to lunch with her on Tuesday, claiming they had to celebrate Galentine's Day together. It ended up being beneficial in more ways than one. Lydia gave her a couple ideas on something she was stuck on and she enjoyed spending time with her sister, hearing all the amusing stories life backstage. She didn't push her about Adam but she saw a glimmer in her eyes when Lydia casually mentioned him. They parted ways and she went straight back to work but kept her promise to William, getting home before nine.

On Wednesday, Lizzie and Andrea finally felt ahead of schedule after finishing an outline for the book, breaking down and fleshing out the characters, and getting confirmations from their temporary cast for Thursday and Friday. The next two days would be the most intense with what needed to be filmed and edited, but they were ready. William sent her occasional silly and romantic texts throughout the day, making her day a less stressful. After going over their finished tasks one more time, Lizzie and Andrea called it a day just before seven. Andrea extended an invitation to Lizzie to go out with her and a few other girls to celebrate Valentine's Day, but she declined, saying she wanted to get some rest before tomorrow.

William called her as she was pulling into her parking spot, turning off the car before answering.

"Happy Valentine's Day," Lizzie answered. "You have some great timing. I just pulled in."

"Happy Valentine's Day to you too," William said. "And I'm glad to hear that you're getting home at a decent time."

"There wasn't anything else we could do at the office today so I thought I'd call it a day," Lizzie replied, getting out of the car and locking the door before walking to the lobby.

"What are your plans for the evening?" William asked.

"Not sure. I'll probably heat up some leftovers, break out my emergency pint of ice cream, and watch whatever silly romcom is on TV," Lizzie said.

"Emergency pint of ice cream?" William asked. It was all too easy to picture that eyebrow of his quirking up at her.

"Yea. I don't break it out often. Just when I'm craving something sweet and you're not around," Lizzie said, waving at the doorman as she passed him. She pressed the elevator button and waited.

"Interesting…" William said and she could hear the amusement in his voice.

"Don't worry. It's not as good as the real thing," Lizzie said, stepping into the elevator and pressing her floor. "What will you be doing? Dinner and cuddling with Fitz?"

"You think you're being clever but he's got his own plans," William said.

"He abandoned you on Valentine's Day?" Lizzie asked sympathetically. "That's no fun for you."

"It's fine. I would prefer to talk to you anyway," William said. "Besides, I wanted to tell you there's something waiting for you in the apartment."

"Ooh, really? A present for me?" Lizzie perked up. "Can I guess what it is?"

"It sounds like you'll find out soon enough but you're welcome to," William replied. "I can hear the familiar ding of the elevator."

"You'd be right," Lizzie said, leaning against the wall. "I'm in our favorite corner, no less."

"Very nice," William's voice got lower.

"Mmhmm," Lizzie hummed. "So what is this something at the apartment? Is it hidden?"

"You'll find it easily enough," William hinted.

"Is it something for me to wear?" Lizzie asked. "So that I slip it on and you can imagine me in it while we talk?"

"It's not, but I should have thought of that. It would significantly improve my night," William replied.

"Let's see," Lizzie paused for a moment, trying to come up with another guess. "Is it something for me to eat?"

"It would appear that you have that covered already with your hidden ice cream and leftovers," William said. The elevator stopped and the doors slid open to her floor. Lizzie stepped out and began to saunter to their apartment.

"Could you give me a hint?" Lizzie asked, stopping at her door and pulling out her keys.

"It's big," William said simply.

"That is so helpful of you," Lizzie said sarcastically, rolling her eyes.

"I try," William chuckled. Lizzie walked into her apartment and closed the door behind her.

"Alright. I'm in the apartment," Lizzie turned on a light, slowly heading down the hall. "I'm not looking for food or a small box that might contain clothing but I am looking for something big. You have one very curious woman over here," Lizzie paused at the end of the hallway, turning on the living room and kitchen lights. She scanned the areas to see nothing out of the ordinary as she put her bag and keys down. "There appears to be nothing in the living room, dining room, or kitchen. I could either go left to the bedrooms, right to the offices or down to the rest of the apartment. My instincts tell me to go left."

Lizzie went to the left, scanning the apartment to make sure she wasn't missing anything. She turned down the hallway and flipped the switch to light her way before she started walking to the bedroom.

"Wrong way."

Lizzie spun around to find William standing in the hallway, still holding the phone to his ear. Lizzie dropped her arms to the side in shock and he hung up, slipping his phone into his pocket.

"Surprise," William said softly, smiling at her and flashing his dimples.

"Will!" Lizzie gasped, hurrying over and throwing her arms around his neck. He laughed as he stumbled back a step, holding onto her to keep from dropping her. After another few moments, she slipped down and her feet touched the ground, pulling away to look at him. "What are you doing here? You're supposed to be in L.A.!"

"Fitz was very insistent on spending at least a few hours with Brandon for their wedding anniversary. Tonight worked better than tomorrow night with our meeting schedule. I couldn't pass up the opportunity and came along. I'm going to have to get up at the crack of dawn so we can get back in time for our next set of meetings," William explained. "But it was worth it to see your face."

"I'm so happy you're here," Lizzie sighed. "This week has been long and stressful and exhausting and lonely without you."

"I'm sorry about that," William said, kissing her temple and rubbing her arms.

"You just made it instantly better," Lizzie assured.

"Well, there's one more thing that might make it even more so," William said before nodding towards their bedroom. "Follow me?"

"What are you up to, sir?" Lizzie asked as he took her hand and led her down the hall. "Are you trying to seduce me?"

"Please, I did not fly all the way here just to get you in bed," William chuckled. "For the most part anyway. But it's Valentine's Day and we tend to celebrate things a little more intimately."

"So you take me to the bedroom," Lizzie said, a little snarkily. William glanced over his shoulder and winked at her. They walked in and Lizzie's face immediately softened. William had set up a candlelit dinner out on their balcony with a tablecloth-covered table, flowers in the middle with two covered plates and empty wine glasses. "You had time for this?"

"I barely had time to set this all up, actually. Lydia was quite helpful and picked up dinner, especially on such short notice," William said gratefully, sliding open the door and stepping outside.

"I'm going to have to thank her," Lizzie said. He was lighting the candles and having a hard time because of the light breeze. As soon as he had one lit, the other one would blow out. She giggled when he tried for the fourth time, sighing as they went out again. Lizzie reached over and turned on the balcony light. "The candles aren't important, Will."

"Let the record show that I tried," William said, slightly frustrated.

"Duly noted," Lizzie said with a smile. William reached behind him and opened a cooler, pulling out a bottle. "Actually, I probably shouldn't drink tonight. I've got a packed filming schedule tomorrow and need to be alert first thing."

"I've got to be at the top of my game in the morning and figured you would need to be too," William said, showing her that it was a bottle of Martinelli's apple cider. "I hope you don't mind."

"Perfect," Lizzie told him.

"It works out for both of us," William said as he poured them each a glass. She picked up her glass and held it up, looking at him lovingly.

"To someone who never ceases to surprise me and makes my day better just by being in it," Lizzie toasted and William's face lit up with love and pride. "Happy Valentine's Day, William."

William clinked his glass with hers. "Happy Valentine's Day, Elizabeth."

* * *

"This was a great way to end today," Lizzie said softly. She was leaning on the railing and William was behind her, framing her body with his. They were looking out to the bay, watching the lights from the city twinkling and shimmering on the water.

"Better than your original plans of leftovers and whatever was on television," William replied, kissing the crook of her neck.

"Much better," Lizzie agreed, sighing as he kissed her again. "Dinner was delicious and I got to eat it with my favorite person."

Turning around, she reached up and began to play with the end of his tie, feeling William's gaze as she continued. "What do you think you would have been doing tonight if you weren't here with me?"

"Hmmm," William pulled her in closer, clasping his hands together behind her back. "Probably have dinner with Fitz and then go back to my hotel room where I would call you."

"What would we talk about?" Lizzie asked slowly, sliding her hands up and unknotting his tie.

"I would…ask you about your day and then you would probably ask me about mine," William began, turning them around and leading them back into the bedroom. Lizzie reached around and closed the door behind him.

"And once we've gotten past the niceties?" Lizzie pulled his tie from his collar, tossing it to the chair. She started to unbutton his shirt and William watched with intent before looking up.

"I'd want to know what your plans were for the evening," William said, exhaling as she pushed his shirt off his shoulders and let it fall to the floor.

"And I'd say what I told you already," Lizzie raised her arms as he untucked her blouse and pulled it above her head. "You'd say that you just got back from eating with Fitz," She unbuckled his belt and pulled it through the belt loops while they both toed off their shoes.

"We'd talk just long enough for me to blurt out that I missed you," William said lowly while her hands skimmed up and then down his chest before tugging on the button of his slacks. She popped the button out of the button hole before unzipping them and pushing them down. She brushed her hand while giving him a wicked look and he let out a quiet groan. He stepped out of his pants and kicked them away before tugging his socks off, leaving him in only his boxer-briefs.

"I'd tease you for breaking down first and say that it's only been three days," Lizzie said, unzipping her skirt on the side and wiggling out of it. "But then I would say I missed you just as much," William brought his hands up to frame her face and pulled her in to kiss her, languidly and thoroughly. He brushed his tongue across hers and along the roof of her mouth as he slid his hands into her hair, getting a thrill from hearing her whimper. They finally pulled away when their lungs screamed for air, smiling breathlessly at each other.

"Then I would ask what you're wearing," William continued as she unclasped her bra.

"I would reply that I'm wearing _very little_ ," Lizzie emphasized as she shrugged it off. She exhaled as he cupped her breasts, brushing his thumbs across her nipples. After a few moments, he moved his hands to the back of her thighs and lifted her up. She held onto his shoulders as he kneeled onto the bed, moving carefully up the mattress. "Then I would go into detail about the lace and silk of my underwear while telling you how much I wish you could take them off with your teeth. I'd get a thrill out of hearing the inevitable groan of frustration from you."

William laid her down on the bed and hovered over her for a moment before sitting back on his knees. He took the hint and bent down, kissing her from the hollow of her throat to just below her navel. She squirmed under his touch and closed her eyes in anticipation when she felt his warm breath nearing the apex of her thighs. Her hips bucked in response when he pressed his lips to her, teasing her by doing so little. She opened her eyes and looked down, catching the gleam in his eyes as he lifted the hem of her underwear. He bit down on the fabric and pulled them down her legs torturously slow before tossing them to the side. He bent down over her and kissed her before inching away.

"Then I would plead to see you on Domino," William whispered, bringing his hand between her legs. She gasped and grabbed onto his bicep as he touched her in all the right places. "And I would get that rush of excitement from seeing your face and I'd tell you how beautiful you look. Then I'd tell you to touch yourself like this."

"Yes," Lizzie managed as he began to circle her clit, whimpering as he slipped two fingers inside her.

"I'd tell you to imagine it's me touching you," William said roughly.

"And then… I'd tell you to close your eyes but only for a moment. Just so you could visualize your hands were mine and I was the one stroking you," Lizzie said breathily. She moaned and began to rock her hips into his hand while he kept whispering dirty things, detailing what their night would have been like separately. She could barely concentrate on anything but the sound of his voice as she teetered on the edge. Caught between what was happening in the moment and what he was describing to her, everything felt like more intense. The way his fingers felt inside her and rubbed just the right spot, the perfect amount of pressure his thumb was using on her clit, and the deepness of his voice near her ear. Her breath hitched and her back arched as he brought her to a powerful climax. She hummed as the pleasure spread through her body, barely noticing William moving and away and removing his boxer-briefs. Lizzie licked her lips and opened her eyes, focusing on the man above her.

"That is where our night would end if I was in L.A.," William continued, kissing her forehead. Lizzie spread her legs for him, sliding her hands to his back and pulling him in closer. She gasped from lingering bliss when he pressed his hard length to her entrance.

"But you're not in L.A.," Lizzie said thickly.

"No, I am not," William said, emphasizing each word. He pushed into her and they both moaned from their connection. They began to rock together, finding that perfect rhythm between them. William's strokes were slow and Lizzie sighed as his hand glided up her body, cupping one breast and gently massaging it. He bent down and his lips enclosed around her nipple, sending zings of pleasure straight to her core. She bucked underneath him and whimpered as he gently tugged, his teeth grazing her sensitive flesh as he let her go. A thrill went through her veins as she saw the playful look in his eyes before he moved in again, giving her other breast the same attention.

She slid her hands up to the back of his shoulders, pulling him down on her and sighing. He flashed her a half-smile before he closed the gap between them and kissed her. They fell into a quiet and comfortable rhythm with Lizzie enjoying the weight of his body and William getting lost in the sensation of the way their lips glided across each other. The buildup was slow but steadily rising inside her and she pulled her legs up, moaning as he sunk in deeper. William moved his head to the crook of her neck, nipping and sucking on her skin. Lizzie let out a throaty noise when he brought a hand between them, helping her with a little extra pressure. She breathed his name near his ear and held tightly onto him as she orgasmed, her body trembling with quakes of pleasure. His hips snapped from her pulsing around him and he sped up, anxious to join her. It only took a few more thrusts and he groaned in ecstasy with his release, slowing down to a halt after a moment.

Lizzie sighed beneath him and kissed his temple as their breathing began to steady. She played with the hairs at the nape of his neck and her hold on him loosened a bit. He turned his head to see his bright-eyed wife looking back at him, smiling in satisfaction.

"What are you thinking about?" Lizzie asked quietly as he pulled out of her and moved to the side a few inches to relieve her of some of his weight.

"Honestly?" Lizzie nodded at his question. "That hidden pint of ice cream."

He felt Lizzie's body shake with laughter and it filled him with warmth that he could make his wife laugh so easily.

"If you promise to replace it, we can share it right now," Lizzie offered.

"You drive a hard bargain, Mrs. Darcy," William teased.

"I'm very protective of my hidden ice cream," Lizzie said playfully. William moved in closer and slid his lips over to her, kissing her for a moment and lingering before gazing into her eyes.

"I'll remember that from now on," William said.

"Be sure that you do."

* * *

Days began to blend together for William and Lizzie. William went back to L.A. and returned forty-eight hours later. Lizzie finished filming and spent the weekend editing everything. She flew to New York on Monday with Andrea and their creative director, ready to show off their work. William got a daily update on how well presentations and negotiations were going. She called him late on Wednesday sounding like she was bouncing off the walls. It took him a couple minutes to settle her down before she finally told him she had won Scholastic over, they would be investing in her and the company, and that her contract would be ready to go over and signed the next morning. She returned home on Thursday in a great mood and they went out to dinner to celebrate.

On the Saturday before William and Fitz left for London, Fitz and Brandon hosted the monthly group dinner at their place. Lydia had to work but Charlotte and Sam would be coming, which would be the first time anybody had seen them since their honeymoon. As Lizzie and William expected, Fitz grilled them throughout dinner but Charlotte and Sam were well prepared. They regaled stories of exploring Fiji on the days that weren't raining, going on day-long hikes and scuba diving at a nearby resort. After cleaning up, everyone moved to the living room so the newlyweds could share pictures that Charlotte put on a flash drive specifically for the occasion.

"You two got some really great shots, Charlotte," Lizzie said as they finished showing them everything.

"The sunsets were so beautiful," Charlotte said wistfully, smiling as Sam put his arm around her. "And, you know, the company was pretty good too."

"You're lucky I'm used to that sass, Lu," Sam chuckled. "Or I'd be deeply hurt right now."

"I know you can handle it," Charlotte nudged him.

"So," Fitz cleared his throat. It was a tactic he used on Lizzie and William many times before their flirting would get out of control. The gesture was not lost on them and they shared an amused look. "When will we see the wedding pictures?"

"Probably next month," Sam replied, rubbing the back of his neck. "We've barely had the time to go through them all. Nobody tells you how much there is to do _after_ you get married."

"And you basically eloped," William pointed out.

"Yea. Imagine how much there is for the couples who had, say, sixty plus people at their wedding," Lizzie added, looking at them knowingly. "Or over two hundred."

"No thanks," Charlotte said bluntly and Fitz snorted.

"Lizzie, how was New York?" Sam asked, putting an end to their honeymoon talk.

"Things couldn't have worked out better," Lizzie said, gloating. "Well, I probably could have gotten more sleep and I'm still a bit tired from going back and forth but big things are coming for the company."

"Come on," Fitz frowned. "That can't be all you give us."

"I'm sure she's not allowed to tell us details because of…her contract?" Brandon guessed.

"You'd be right. It's all under lock and key," Lizzie mimicked locking her mouth and tossing away the key.

"William?" Fitz asked, pleading a little.

"I know the basics, but it's her news to share," William leaned back against the couch, smiling as Lizzie slid his arm around her shoulders and took his hand.

"When I have something to show, you guys will be the first to see it," Lizzie promised. "After Scholastic, obviously."

"We look forward to it, Lizzie," Sam said supportively.

"Thank you, Sam," Lizzie replied.

"Well, I've got some news since Lizzie can't talk about hers," Brandon said. "I got that promotion! I'm one step closer to making partner."

Cheers and congratulations erupted from the group before everybody started asking questions at once, making Brandon laugh. He spent a while answering their questions and telling them how he was told about the promotion. He had the attention of everyone in the room and Lizzie took the opportunity to relax with William by her side. It would be a few weeks before they'd be able to do it again.

* * *

Lizzie and William were the first to leave after Lizzie started to nod off a couple times. From Lizzie pulling late nights and changing time zones more than once to restless nights from missing their bed partner, they were short on sleep. They knew it would probably only get worse before it got better, especially with William flying to London in two days.

"Make sure you get some rest," Fitz said, giving her a hug. "You're giving me a complex as a boring host."

"I'm just tired from working so hard. I fell asleep at my desk yesterday for like twenty minutes," Lizzie sighed. "I have a harder time with jet lag than William. Don't worry, you're still very entertaining, Fitz."

"Desks are for working, Lizzie D.," Fitz said cheekily.

"Ha ha," Lizzie rolled her eyes at him. "It will be better when you come back from London, so no need to worry. Make sure you take care of him, okay?"

"He's in good hands," Fitz reassured her. "Besides, Gigi will be there too. She knows how to take care of her brother."

"You know I have to ask you every time," Lizzie started.

"Because you're very partial to him," Fitz finished and she nodded with a smile. "I promise."

William came over with her jacket and handed it to her. "You ready to go?"

"Yep. Just giving Fitz the normal spiel," Lizzie said, putting her jacket on. "Dinner was top notch tonight, Fitz."

"Thank you. Remember, you two have next month," Fitz reminded them. "And I will be in front of your place at nine am on Monday so be ready."

"I'll be there," William promised.

"We'll see you all later!" Lizzie waved to the small group. There was a chorus of goodbyes as they left and Fitz closed the door behind them before they heard the click of the lock. William put an arm around her waist and she rested her head on his shoulder as they strolled to the elevator, ready to be home and in bed.

* * *

William left for London on Monday morning and Lizzie fell back into her normal work schedule, keeping herself busy enough. The first few days of William's lengthier business trips always seemed longer than normal. Lizzie and William made the effort to call each other every day, even if it was only for a few minutes.

On Friday, Lizzie went to UCSF Medical Center to get some blood tests done before her doctor appointment on Monday. Despite William's directions, the campus was much larger than her previous medical center and she got a little lost. She found a map to figure out where the laboratory was and one square on the map caught her eye, making her heart clench a little. Right at the edge of campus was the _Anne and William S. Darcy Trauma Center_. She was aware that William and Pemberley Digital donated to numerous causes over the years, including hospitals. There was nothing that could have been done for his parents but generous donations for state-of-the-art medical equipment and hospital wings were his way of helping others. She made a mental note to call him later and tell him that she loved him before finally figuring out where the laboratory was and heading in the right direction.

* * *

 _Monday, March 5th_

The weekend without William dragged on for Lizzie because she had finally caught up at work and had nothing to bring home to distract her. The main highlights of the two days were the few phone calls from William and Fitz and one from Lydia inviting her to see a preview of the Edgar Allen Poe musical at her theatre. She took her backstage afterwards to meet the cast and had a pleasant conversation with Adam, telling him she was happy to see him doing so well.

Besides a few conference calls and a meeting in the early afternoon, Monday was a light day. She was able to leave for her doctor appointment just after four, letting Katie know she would see her in the morning.

After checking in and going through the standard procedure of weight and height, they went through her chart in the small room and she was told the doctor would be with her in a few minutes. Lizzie sat on the paper-covered table as she waited, drumming her fingers against the side of her thigh and studying the posters on the wall.

There was a light knock, the door opened, and a tall, middle-aged man in a white coat walked in.

"Hi, I'm Dr. Gordon. You must be the infamous Elizabeth Darcy," he said, shaking her hand. "It's nice to put a face to the name. I've heard a lot about you."

"I don't mind being called Lizzie," she kindly corrected him. "And infamous? Has my husband been talking about me?"

"Don't think I could stop him if I tried," Dr. Gordon chuckled. "According to him, you're the reason why he's in such good shape. I'm inclined to agree when the proof is in the test results. I'm sure he's the reason why you here with me and not another doctor?"

"He is, actually. I generally trust his recommendations," Lizzie smiled as he washed his hands.

"I hope I don't disappoint. You're here for a regular check-up?" Dr. Gordon asked to confirm.

"Yep. I just changed my insurance so I needed to set up a new doctor. Plus, William and I are trying to start a family so it's as good a time as any," Lizzie said. "Gotta make sure everything checks out."

"Ah yes. I remember him mentioning that when I saw him in January," Dr. Gordon replied, hooking his stethoscope into his ears and blowing hot air on the chestpiece. "Deep breath for me."

He spent the next minute checking Lizzie's lungs, throat, and ears.

"Excellent," Dr. Gordon said. "Everything looks good." He wandered over to the computer and took a seat on the short stool. "How have you been feeling? Any concerns or pain anywhere?"

"No. Not really. I've been feeling a little tired lately but I chalk that up to a busy traveling month for work," Lizzie said. "And I usually have trouble sleeping when William's away. He's in London right now and won't be back until Thursday."

"I know the feeling. My wife travels a lot too. Let's see what your test results say," Dr. Gordon logged into the computer to check her record. "Your blood pressure is great. Your cholesterol is good too. Both HDL and LDL levels. Blood glucose, calcium and electrolytes…all normal."

"Always good to hear," Lizzie said, feeling relieved even though she wasn't worried in the first place.

"CBC is normal. No need to worry about anemia with those results," Dr. Gordon said, mumbling partially to himself. He went quiet for a moment and brought the monitor closer, reading something under his breath before she saw a subtle smile playing at the corner of his lips. "Aha. I found the reason why you've been tired lately."

"So it's not just because I'm missing my bed partner?" Lizzie joked and he shook his head.

"You're pregnant."

* * *

 _Notes:_

 _Feel free to scream and tell me what you think!_

 _Thanks to Sarah for always making my chapter even better than it was in the first place. I 3 you!_


	7. Plus One

_Summary:_ _Once Lizzie finds out she's pregnant, she tries to think of the best way to tell William._

* * *

 _Notes:_ _Thank you so much for all your comments on the last chapter! They were all so kind! I could write a big long note but I know you're anxious to read this chapter. Thank you for your patience and enjoy._

* * *

"You're pregnant."

Lizzie froze at her doctor's words, trying to comprehend what he was saying. Was she hearing him correctly? Were her ears playing tricks on her from being tired? He repeated himself and the words hit her with even more impact.

She let out a shaky breath, trying to figure out how to respond. "I'm…really?"

He nodded and she brought her hand up, pressing her fingers to her mouth. He started to explain things in detail but none of it was registering with her. She saw his lips moving but her mind was drowning him out. She was pregnant. She was _actually_ pregnant and she hadn't even realized it. Giddiness began to bubble up inside her and she didn't know whether to laugh or cry with joy. It was all so overwhelming.

It took her a moment to realize Dr. Gordon was repeating her name.

"Lizzie!" he said, a little louder.

"Sorry," Lizzie apologized, shaking her head quickly. "It's just…um. A lot to process."

"I understand," he said, grabbing a pad of paper. "It looks like you'll be needing to find an OBGYN so I'm recommending a few doctors in that department that I think you would like. You should schedule an ultrasound sooner than later and start taking pre-natal vitamins, if you haven't been already."

Nodding was all Lizzie seemed capable of at the moment. He ripped the paper from the pad and handed it to her. She stared at the names but they all seemed blurry. She noticed that her hands were shaking and tears were threatening to become a reality.

"Lizzie?" he said as he stood from his stool and she looked up at him. "Congratulations. I know William will be thrilled and I'm sure I'll be hearing plenty of details during his next visit."

"Yea," Lizzie said, exhaling slowly to keep her emotions in check.

"There's no hurry so when you're ready, check out with my nurse and she'll give you some reading material," Dr. Gordon finished, shaking her hand before leaving the room. Lizzie sat there for a little bit, wrapping her head around everything. Just two simple words, and her life was about to change. She took a deep breath and hopped off the table, checking herself in the mirror before grabbing her stuff and heading to the nurses' station. The urge to get home was overpowering.

"First time?" the nurse asked while she was printing out her after-visit summary.

"I'm sorry?" Lizzie was pulled from her thoughts. "Oh! Uh…yea, it is."

"I was the same way," she said, handing her a few things. "I have two, myself. Both grown up already. My husband fainted the first time I told him I was pregnant and was out cold for fifteen minutes."

Lizzie gasped and then it suddenly hit her that she needed to tell William. He wasn't even home and the disappointment seeped into her veins as her face fell. "My husband…he's out of town for business for another few days."

"Oh, hon, I'm sorry. You should wait till he comes home. It'll be better that way," she insisted, handing her the last of what she needed. "Alright. You're all ready to go. You can make any appointments you need at reception."

Lizzie sat in her car, holding an appointment card for an ultrasound in one hand and a bottle of prenatal vitamins in the other. She had the strongest urge to talk to William and she dropped the vitamins into her lap before she dug out her phone, turning it back on after shutting it off for her appointment. Even if she wasn't going to tell him yet, she just wanted to hear his voice. Her phone chimed with a few notifications, including one that gave her hope her husband might still be awake.

 _William 4:27 pm_

Missing you like crazy. Call me when you're done with the doc.

 _William 4:29 pm_

Doesn't matter how late.

She looked at the time and it was a few minutes to five, which would mean that it was almost one am for William. She chewed on her bottom lip as she contemplated for a moment before giving in. She'd at least be able to hear his voice from his outgoing message if he was asleep. Luckily for her, he picked on the second ring and her heart sped up a little.

"Hey," William's voice was low and deep. "I was hoping you'd call."

"Hey yourself." She swore her voice sounded shaky and was afraid he might hear it. "Did I wake you?"

"You know I wasn't asleep yet," she heard him chuckle and she smiled. "Fitz and I were narrowing down candidates until thirty minutes ago."

"Burning the midnight oil?"

"Something like that," William said. "So how was the doctor? Do you like him?"

"I do. He's very nice," Lizzie replied, looking down at her lap. The vitamins were staring back up at her and she had to fight the urge to blurt out her news.

"Will you go back to him?"

"I think I will." Her voice was definitely shaky that time and she cleared her throat, trying to get a handle on it.

"Are you doing okay? Is something wrong?"

Lizzie heard his concerned tone and she loved him even more for asking. She wanted to tell him her news so much, but she wanted him to be there with her. She yearned to feel his touch and see his happiness and be engulfed in his arms. Only a few more days, she reminded herself, and all of that would be a reality.

"I'm fine, Will. Dr. Gordon says I'm very heathy and have nothing to worry about," Lizzie replied. "I'm just tired and I miss you. I wish you were home already."

"I wish I were too," William said, following his words with a yawn. "Two more days for me here and then I'll be home so much that you'll get sick of me."

Lizzie laughed. "I doubt it."

"True. We need to make up for lost time."

"Any ideas?"

"Of course. Many of them involve our bedroom."

"Any one in particular that you'd want to share?"

"Honestly? I've been looking forward to slipping into that big bed with you, holding you in my arms, and getting a proper night's sleep," William said longingly.

"Sounds like heaven," Lizzie said gently.

"It does," William murmured.

"You know, if your biggest fantasy involves sleep, I think it's probably time I let you try and get some," Lizzie said and she heard him groan.

"When you're right, you're right," William sighed. "Even if I'd rather stay up and listen to you tell me about your day."

"Another time," Lizzie promised. "For now, I'll say good night and I love you."

"Is that all?" William joked. If only he knew how much more she had to say.

"Sweet dreams, Will," Lizzie said warmly.

"Good night, Lizzie. I love you too," William said before they hung up. Lizzie sighed and slipped her phone back into her bag.

"By the way, I'm pregnant," Lizzie said to the empty car, getting goosebumps from actually saying the words out loud for the first time. She took a deep breath and cleared everything from her lap before starting up the car. She felt like she was on auto-pilot, and made it home without really remembering the trip. As she walked into the apartment, it seemed like something had changed. She was coming home to the same place but she wasn't coming home the same person. Her mind was reeling. What she needed, she decided, was a long, hot shower to relax.

When she stepped out of the shower, she wiped away the steam and looked at herself in the mirror. She tried to figure out if there was something she could see that would give away the fact that she was pregnant. She didn't look any different but she certainly felt different. The only pregnancy symptom she was experiencing so far was fatigue. No nausea, vomiting, or headaches. Her breasts didn't feel tender to the touch and they didn't look any bigger, at least to her. It was still early though. She didn't know what would be in store for her but she was nervously excited. She laid a hand on her flat stomach and smiled, looking down.

"Hi," Lizzie whispered. "So, I know you're there now."

And William would know when he returned. She didn't want to just tell him outright, though. It was big news and big news deserved more. Just like when he showed up on her doorstep to tell her he loved her the second time, when he proposed on their balcony, and all their other moments she'd never forget. She needed to think of something that was perfect for both of them, but at least she had a few days to come up with a memorable announcement. After getting dressed in her most comfortable pajamas and making herself some dinner, she settled onto the couch to brainstorm and watch TV.

Lizzie got sucked into a Cupcake Wars marathon and her brainstorming took a back seat. She ended up falling asleep on the couch after a few hours and woke up shortly after one when her phone went off. William had texted her a sweet message good morning, no doubt intended for her when she'd get up for work. She shuffled to the bedroom and double-checked that her alarm was set before she slid into bed and rested a hand on her stomach. It gave her an odd sense of comfort and, for the first time since William left for London, she fell asleep with ease.

* * *

 _Tuesday, March 6th_

When Lizzie was getting ready for the day and making herself some tea, William called her out of the blue just to chat. She was already in a great mood but those few minutes of being able to talk with him and hear about his day so far had put her in an even better one. Lizzie went into work feeling like she was walking on air. She was holding onto this wonderful secret and nobody had a clue. The bubble she was in already felt bigger than when she and William started dating. There had been speculation and hints from her videos but those first few days when no one knew about them were blissful and special and _theirs_. She couldn't wait to pull William into this bubble with her and kept imagining what his reaction would be like. It made her smile every time she thought about the possibilities.

Lizzie had to stop herself from falling into a baby research black hole during the day. She started by looking up announcement ideas and then another article would catch her eye. Before long, she was deep in pregnancy threads about how others found out and reading about other symptoms. A phone call or a knock on the door would quickly pull her out of it and get her back on track. She was surprised with how much work she was able to get done when her mind was so preoccupied.

She went out to dinner with Andrea after work when they both wanted to try a new Spanish restaurant in Lizzie's neighborhood. Lizzie dropped her car off at her home and Andrea drove them the rest of the way. The wait was surprisingly short but the food did not disappoint. Andrea commiserated with Lizzie for William being gone so long but couldn't resist teasing her about her excitement for his return. When dinner was over, Lizzie declined Andrea's offer to drive her home, saying she'd rather walk.

It was nice to get some fresh air and the walk made her realize it had been a few weeks since she had done this in the city. She made a mental note to get back in the habit, wanting to make sure to keep in shape. She was in no hurry to get home to an empty apartment and took her time, glancing in the windows of the shops that she passed. The bright colors of one particular window caught her eye and Lizzie found herself walking into a small baby boutique. It was far too early to consider buying anything but she didn't see the harm in checking out the local selection. There were a few other expectant mothers shopping, their hands nonchalantly resting on their rounded bellies.

She stopped at a table that was full of folded onesies and picked up one from the newborn pile. It was so _tiny_. A vision popped in her head of William sitting next to her on the couch with a baby in her arms. The two of them looked perfectly happy as they fawned over that small bundle and Lizzie's throat constricted with emotion.

"May I help you?" a woman asked, taking Lizzie out of her daydream. She was clutching onto that onesie and she smiled sheepishly at the gray-haired older woman as she put it back down on the table.

"I was just looking," Lizzie offered, glancing at the woman's nametag that read 'Martha'. "It's…for a friend."

"Maybe your friend would like some books? We have some pretty extensive reading material," Martha said gently, pointing out their shelves against one wall.

"It's still early…for her," Lizzie admitted, looking nervous before Martha pulled something out of her pocket.

"Why don't you give your friend my card? We hold prenatal and postnatal classes here and there's plenty of baby items to choose from," Martha said with a smile and Lizzie took the card, looking it over and seeing the website at the bottom of it. "And I hope to see her here when she's ready."

"Thank you. I will let her know."

Lizzie said goodbye and took once last glance around the boutique before heading back outside. She liked the look of the place and decided she would come back - but not without William and not until she was much further along. She tucked the card in her purse and kept walking.

Once she got home, she took a shower and got in her pajamas. She grabbed her computer and made herself comfortable in her chair, determined to find a special way to tell William she was pregnant. Just when she was on the verge of giving up, it suddenly came to her in a flash of brilliance. The idea made her giddy with excitement. She would have to make a couple inquiries in the morning to make sure it would work, but she was pleased that she had finally hit on the perfect idea. It was getting late for her and that big bed was calling so she put away her computer, shut off all the lights, and headed to the bedroom to get a good night's sleep.

* * *

 _Wednesday, March 7th_

Wednesday was her last full day on her own before William would be home. Lizzie was getting more and more excited as the day progressed, despite knowing she wouldn't see him until tomorrow. During her lunch, she figured out exactly how to flesh out her idea and made the necessary phone calls. Afterwards, she was able to focus completely on work and by the end of the day, she was well ahead of schedule. She turned down an invitation to go out to dinner from a few of her coworkers because she only had tonight to get things done, but she was grateful that they would always try and distract her when she was alone during William's long business trips.

Lizzie made a few stops on the way home to get some things, including picking up dinner for herself. She changed in an old shirt of William's, saved for when she wanted to feel closer to him, and made herself comfortable in the living room. She turned the TV on for noise as she worked and the time flew by. She didn't realize it was nearing midnight until her phone went off, her screen showing that her husband was calling.

"Hello there, handsome," Lizzie answered happily.

"Hey," William sounded surprised. "I didn't expect you to still be awake. I was going to leave you a message."

"I was working on a few things. I'll go to bed soon," Lizzie replied. "You must be calling from the airport. Waiting to board?"

She heard him heavily sigh and her heart dropped, knowing something was wrong immediately.

"That's why I'm calling. All flights are grounded due to the weather."

"Oh, Will, really?"

"I'm so sorry, Lizzie. I wish I was giving you better news."

"It's not like you can control the weather," Lizzie said miserably. "What are you going to do?"

"There's not much we _can_ do except wait. We're going to stay at the airport so we can get on the first available flight once things clear up," William said. "I'm not sure when that will be though. I'm hoping that it's sometime today. I'll keep you updated."

"Please do. This sucks," Lizzie moped. "I'm tired of you not being here and me having to go to bed alone."

"You and me both," William mumbled. "I just want to be there already."

"You shouldn't have skipped your apparating lessons then," Lizzie teased, hearing him chuckle at her silly joke.

"I'm sure I would have splinched myself," William replied. "All that distance and everything. Too many factors."

"Oh my god. I love you for that," Lizzie laughed, suddenly grateful to Gigi for making him read all of Harry Potter to her when she was younger. She heard another voice in the background. "Is that Fitz?"

"Yea. He's looking at me like I'm crazy," William said. "No, you can't have the phone!" It sounded like Fitz was giving him a hard time and William was having none of it. Their voices were muffled and she could clearly picture him covering the speaker of his phone while he swatted away Fitz's hand. "Sorry about that. Fitz being Fitz. I had to walk away."

"It's okay. Kinda miss him too," Lizzie admitted before looking down at her project. She felt a pang of disappointment from knowing she would have to wait even longer until she could tell him the good news. It was practically on the tip of her tongue and her voice dropped to a whisper. "Hurry home."

"I'm trying, love. I really am." His voice was filled with love and sadness and Lizzie did her best to hold back her tears, once again. Their business trips always took a toll on their emotions and this was the hardest one so far. "You doing okay? You haven't fallen asleep on me, have you?"

"I'm here," Lizzie sniffed. "It's late, though. I probably should go to bed."

"Okay. I'm not going to deprive you of any more sleep. Who knows? I might be on a plane by the time you wake up," William said optimistically.

"Here's hoping. Love you."

"Love you too. Sleep well."

Lizzie hung up the phone and stared at the screen. She knew she wasn't just antsy to see him. Holding onto something so big and not being able to talk to the one person she ached to tell was wearing on her but there was nothing she could do but wait. She cleaned everything up and hid her surprise in her office before going to bed alone, silently cursing the weather gods.

* * *

 _Thursday, March 8th_

William was still grounded when Lizzie woke up and she couldn't help but feel sorry for herself. It was understandably worse for him, being stuck at the airport with no scheduled departure in sight. After she told Andrea and Katie about the delay, she noticed they were being extra nice to her. She told them it was fine and he'd be home soon enough before she walked into her office, ready to bury herself in work. William sent her occasional messages but none of them were telling her the news she wanted to hear.

A little after noon, there was a knock on her door before it opened and Lydia stuck her head in.

"Knock knock!" Lydia said.

"Hey! What are you doing here?" Lizzie asked, perking up.

"I brought sandwiches," Lydia held up a white paper bag.

"From that little place around the corner?"

"As if I would go anywhere else."

"Meatball?"

"Duh! What do you take me for?" Lydia scoffed, closing the door behind her. "It's only the best one there."

"Have a seat," Lizzie gestured to the chairs in front of her desk. "Who called and told you?"

"I figured it out myself. I saw the news about that epic freak snow storm and I remembered William was supposed to be coming home today. I know you get all pouty when he's been gone a while and I thought you could use a pick-me-up," Lydia explained.

"I don't get all pouty," Lizzie said defensively and Lydia stared at her in obvious disbelief. "Okay, fine, I do. Am I not allowed to miss my husband when he's gone?"

"You are. That's why I'm here. I'm stepping up my awesome sister game." Lydia handed Lizzie a sandwich and a wad of napkins.

"You came armed with delicious sandwiches so you succeeded," Lizzie said. They shared a smile before they started eating, enjoying every bite of cheese and marinara. While Lizzie was cleaning up and washing her hands, Lydia heard her phone chime.

"Lizzie, your phone," Lydia called out, picking it up from her desk. "It's Darce-face. He says he loves you until the end of time and can't wait to get you all kinds of naked so he can slip his man-banana into you."

"Lydia!" Lizzie hurried out of the bathroom, grabbing her phone from her sister. She gave her a scolding look while Lydia grinned shamelessly. Lizzie's face fell once again when she read the actual message.

"Not good?"

"Not at all," Lizzie grumbled. "He says the earliest a plane _may_ be going out is tomorrow morning. They're spending the night in the airport."

"What about a hotel?"

"It wasn't worth it with the bad weather," Lizzie read on from her phone. "They managed to snag a private cabana in one of the first class lounges. It has a sofa bed, a few chairs, internet, and a TV."

"What even? There are private cabanas in airports?" Lydia asked with an incredulous look.

"Yea. He says it's tight in there with Fitz and Jenkins but he's not going to complain considering the circumstances. He'll keep me updated on everything," Lizzie finished, the corner of her mouth tipping up at something she wouldn't read out loud.

"Is it a bunch of exes and ohs and promises of more?" Lydia teased. "Is it dirty? I bet it is. It's been soooo long since you've seen each other."

"Will you stop it?!" Lizzie warned, narrowing her eyes at her sister. "Don't you have a job or something to get to?"

"Or something," Lydia laughed as she stood up. "I know when it's time to go. I've got errands to run for work anyway."

"Thank you for stopping by," Lizzie hugged her. "And bringing lunch. Wonderful, as always."

"No problem!" Lydia smiled at her before backing away towards the door. "Let me know if you need anything else."

"I will," Lizzie nodded. Lydia gave her a little wave and Lizzie returned the gesture before she left, closing the door behind her.

She told herself that she could get through the rest of the day on her own, even with the confirmation that William wouldn't be waiting for her at home. She offered to help some employees with a small series they were creating to take her mind off things. They were split on who they wanted to cast for the more major parts and she offered to watch the audition tapes, writing extensive notes for them. It took up the rest of her day and she was grateful for the distraction.

Lizzie felt listless after dinner and decided to take a walk down to the bay. She was thankful that she had remembered her jacket when the wind picked up. William's updates had slowed down to a halt, which was expected considering it was well after midnight in London. Being ahead with her work and having her own personal project ready for her husband, there was nothing to distract her.

She took a seat on a bench and watched as people passed her by. People-watching was always entertaining to her, especially now that she seemed to be noticing the littlest ones. A small boy kept running towards some pigeons and squealing with laughter as they flew away. A toddler was sleeping in her father's arms while he held the hand of his older girl as they passed her. She lost track of the number of women who walked by with strollers. It was like those scenes in movies where the main character was told not to think of a particular subject. They would turned on the television or radio to distract themselves and every station they changed to related to the subject. Except those situations were considered comedic nightmares.

This was different. This was _good_. She brushed her hand across her stomach for a moment and pictured her and William taking this same walk with their own little one. Every time she thought about their future baby, she felt a rush. It was so much realer now. There was still a lot to process but she was thankful for having these last few days on her own to work it out in her own head.

A gust of wind made her shiver and she knew it was time to go home. She zipped her jacket up all the way and made the trek back. After cleaning the apartment up for William's return, she spent the rest of her night reading until she fell asleep.

* * *

 _Friday, March 9th_

Lizzie woke up to a few messages from William, each one increasingly hopeful about getting a flight. As she was listening to her last one, he was calling again and she quickly answered it.

"Hey! I was just listening to your voicemails!" Lizzie said animatedly. "Any luck?"

"Good morning," William replied, just as eagerly. "And tentatively, yes. They're almost done clearing the runways and we _should_ be boarding in the next thirty minutes. The skies are cloudy but there's no more threat of snow."

"You have no idea how good that sounds, Will."

"Believe me, I do. I can see the actual plane, Lizzie. The flight attendants are pretty optimistic that if we board quickly, we'll be one of the first in line to take off."

"Do you want me to pick you up from the airport?" Lizzie offered.

"Thank you, but I have no way of telling you my time of arrival. The flight numbers keep changing and it's a bit of a mess but I'm not going to question it. I'll get myself a cab when I land. The best I can say is that I will be home sometime tonight. You'll most likely be home before me."

"Can't wait to see you. Text me when you get off the plane."

"I promise," William said. She heard another voice but it was too muffled for her to understand. "They're making another announcement about boarding. I gotta go. I love you!"

"Love you too!" Lizzie managed before he hung up. This was the second best news she had heard all week and she was nearly vibrating with excitement. William was finally coming home and she felt like a kid on Christmas Eve, trying their hardest to fall asleep with no luck.

While she was getting ready for work, William kept sending her text messages that made her want to squeal with excitement that he was closer and closer to coming home. When she got out of the shower and was getting dressed, he was boarding. When she was making breakfast for herself, they were pulling away from the gate. When she was gathering her things and looking for her keys, they were taxiing and third in line to take off. By the time she made it down to her car, they were next and he sent her his standard 'I love you and I'll see you soon' text.

It was going to be long day.

She was the first one to the office and checked her day's schedule to see what was in store. There were a few meetings back to back that would take up her morning and one directly after lunch. She knew they would make the day go by faster, but the rest of it was open. When Katie arrived, she came into her office looking entirely too eager for any news. All Lizzie had to do was smile at her and Katie did a little fist pump before practically dancing out of the office. When Andrea arrived, she came in to Lizzie's office looking just as thrilled. It was apparent that Katie had told her the good news.

"Good day so far?" Andrea asked casually.

"I'd say so," Lizzie said, holding back her laughter. She was waiting for some kind of teasing but Andrea knew better.

"Ready for this morning?"

Lizzie nodded. "Hopefully it will go by quickly."

"And the rest of the day?"

"Even quicker."

* * *

Lizzie was surprised she was able to concentrate at all throughout the day but somehow, she made it. Her meetings were uneventful and she found herself checking her phone too often, even though she logically knew she would hear nothing. Around 4:30, she decided to leave the office because she wasn't fooling anyone. She was ahead of schedule and she had one last errand to run before William would be home.

Lizzie was trying to make herself busy, puttering around the apartment and getting ready for William's imminent arrival. He had texted her forty minutes earlier to let her know he landed and again twenty minutes later saying he had luggage in hand, meaning he was on his way home. It was silly how nervous she was. She just wanted it to be perfect for both of them.

She was in her office when she heard something and she paused, closing her eyes and giving herself a moment to steady her breathing. Then she heard the click of the front door and she slammed her calendar shut, hurrying out of the room.

When she turned the corner, she saw William sauntering down the front hallway with luggage in both hands and looking worn down. His clothes were rumpled, his hair was a bit messy, and he needed a shave but he still looked so good to her. He finally saw her and his face lit up before letting out a sigh of relief and dropping his luggage.

"Lizzie," he breathed.

"Hey stranger," Lizzie said warmly as he walked quickly over to her.

"You are a sight for sore eyes." William pulled her in for a hug and she wrapped her arms around him, burying her face against his chest. Her anxiety about his return melted away the longer he held her in his arms. She had missed his warmth and she smiled to herself as he kissed the top of her head. She could tell he was hesitant to let her go but then he slid his hands up to her neck and kissed her slowly and tenderly. She stood on her toes and gripped his shirt, not wanting the moment to end. Finally, he broke away to catch his breath and rested his forehead against hers.

"Welcome home," Lizzie murmured.

"I thought I'd never get here. The past couple days…"

"You're here now and that's what counts."

"Two weeks is too long. No more business trips for at least six months." _Nine months would be better_ but she resisted the urge to say it. "All I want to do this weekend is spend time with you."

"That can be easily arranged," Lizzie said, brushing her thumb across his cheek. "You hungry?"

"I am, actually," William nodded. "I have no idea what day it is any more, but I could eat."

Lizzie snickered and he gave her a small smile.

"Lucky for you, I ordered Chinese food," Lizzie said and he broke out into a full grin.

"That sounds perfect."

"It should be here soon enough so why don't you bring your stuff to the bedroom, take a nice, hot shower…shave," Lizzie brushed her knuckles along his coarse facial hair and he chuckled. "Get into some comfortable clothes and come back to me."

"Just what I need," William said, grabbing his luggage. He paused in his step to lean in and kiss her temple before continuing towards the bedroom.

"It's nice to have you home," Lizzie said sincerely and he looked back, giving her a loving look.

"It's nice to _be_ home," William replied before disappearing around the corner.

Lizzie didn't have much to do while he was settling back in and getting ready. It was the waiting game all over again but she knew it wouldn't be as much of one. If only she could tell that to her stomach, which seemed to be flipping non-stop. She put a hand to it and took a deep breath.

"Just a little longer," she said to herself.

Chinese food arrived within fifteen minutes and she began setting the dining room table before taking everything out of the bags. Soon, she heard William's footsteps coming down the hall and she shook her hands to get them to stop shaking. When he emerged, it was easily noticeable how much better he looked. He was freshly shaven, his hair was damp from the shower, and he was pulling on a dark blue t-shirt. He was wearing a pair of black lounge pants and Lizzie looked at him in appreciation.

"Feeling better?"

"Much," William walked up and placed his hands on her hips, bending down and kissing her shoulder. "That shower did wonders."

"You look refreshed," Lizzie noted, brushing a hand along his cheek. He turned his head and kissed her palm, making her smile. "Oh, I missed you."

"Missed you too," William hummed, gently squeezing her hips before glancing at the table. "Food smells delicious."

"Let's eat before it gets cold," Lizzie suggested. "You can tell me the harrowing tale of your London escape."

"Funny," William said flatly but Lizzie saw the light in his eyes. He sat at the head of the table and she took the closest seat next to him, passing him containers as he began telling her everything. While he had been sending her updates over the past couple days, she still wanted to hear the details. Their conversations kept being cut short because of the eight-hour difference. One of them would have to go to work or it was so late that one would be falling asleep as they talked. She was thrilled he was back home and in the same time zone again.

"What about Gigi?" Lizzie asked as she helped herself to another eggroll. "Did she make any decisions?"

"Actually, she did," William said. He proceeded to tell her about how many people they ended up hiring for the international offices. While Gigi loved being in London, she loved and missed her family and friends more. She was going to stay behind for the next month to be part of the training team and specifically to train the managers who would be running day-to-day operations. She would still be the one they reported to for bigger issues but she would run it from San Francisco. Theoretically, she would only need to fly back and forth to London a few times a year for quarterly meetings. William was creating a department around her so that she would be the company's official international liaison. Not only would she be the head of the London offices but she would be in charge of opening any other international offices in the future.

Lizzie was happy to hear that Gigi was coming home. She really missed her being just a short walk away these past months. What made her the happiest was that she'd be able to tell her the news of her future niece or nephew in person. She wouldn't have to miss anything.

When William had finished, he grabbed her plate and began to head to the kitchen to put them away. She could feel the butterflies in her stomach. It was nearly time. This must have been how William felt during the moments leading up to proposing to her. Or even their wedding day. She had been more anxious to marry him than anything else but she couldn't deny that she had felt a little nervous. Still, it seemed paltry compared to her inner emotional state right now.

"What about the apartment and Lydia?" Lizzie asked, taking a deep breath before following him into the kitchen with a few empty containers to throw away.

"Gigi was going to talk to her about it. She wants a change once she returns so she's going to keep renting to Lydia and find a new place," William said, rinsing the dishes and putting them in the dishwasher.

"Helps that you own the apartment."

"Yes. I know Lydia's expressed concerns about having to move if and when Gigi returned. This should put her worries to rest," William said. They picked up the rest of the food and headed back to the kitchen.

"What about the pied–à–terre? I know it's not as big or anything…" she said as she opened the fridge, putting away food and stepping aside for William to do the same.

"I actually offered. Great minds," William chuckled, watching Lizzie grab a dish towel and wipe down the dining room table. She caught him yawning and rubbing his hands down his face before leaning against the counter and continuing. "She said she'd rather find a new place. We still use the pied–à–terre for long-term guests and some clients so it works out."

"Are we going to be checking out places for her?" Lizzie joked, noticing him looking around.

"Maybe…" William trailed off. "Did we not get fortune cookies this time?"

"We did!" Lizzie said quickly, returning to the kitchen. She was proud of herself for her voice not shaking. "I put them in a bowl and then got sidetracked."

She had conveniently placed the bowl between two appliances under one cupboard. It seemed plausible enough that she would have left it there without it being too obvious.

"Sidetracked? Is it because I'm home now?" William teased, grabbing a cookie when she offered the bowl.

"Obviously," Lizzie managed, walking to the living room. He started to follow her and she made it to the side of the couch when she heard the familiar crack of his cookie. Her heart leapt to her throat and she swallowed nervously before setting the bowl down and grabbing a cookie for herself. She broke it open and took her fortune out before turning around, watching him carefully and trying not to fidget too much.

He flashed her a smile as he popped the second half of the cookie into his mouth and finally read his fortune, slowly stopping in his tracks. She saw his face change from amusement to mild confusion and the butterflies in her stomach began working overtime.

"Huh."

"What is it?" Lizzie asked, barely masking her shakiness. He looked up at her and she could see the gears in his head turning, trying to decipher his fortune.

"You know how we sometimes get fortunes that could directly apply to us?" Lizzie nodded. "This one seems oddly specific. What does yours say?"

"Um," Lizzie had to look down at it, forgetting which one she had gotten. "One plus one equals three. And yours?"

"Your family of two…will soon become…" William stopped before he breathily whispered. "Three."

It was a moment Lizzie would always remember, the exact instant when it clicked in his head. There was cautious hope written all over his face and his eyes were becoming glassy as he studied the piece of paper, reading it again to himself. He was breaking it down and making sure he understood the magnitude of what it meant.

"Either I'm very jet-lagged and reading too much into this," William blew out a breath and took a small step forward, holding up the small piece of paper. "Or this is telling me you're pregnant. Lizzie?"

He looked at her for confirmation and Lizzie could feel the prick of tears in the corner of her eyes and her heart was beating a mile a minute.

"Fortune cookies do tend to tell you the future."

William let out a short burst of laughter, putting his hands on top of his head.

"Are you really? You're pregnant?" William asked, his voice cracking on the last word. Lizzie nodded vigorously as tears began to stream down her face and he rushed towards her, grabbing her around the waist and lifting her into the air. They both laughed through their tears as he spun her around and pure joy spread through her veins. When he put her down, he kissed her with enthusiasm and she could taste the saltiness of their tears on their lips. He pulled her in for another hug, holding her tight and burying his head in the crook of her shoulder. Warmth radiated from his body and she would have been content to stay cocooned in his arms for the rest of the night. He pulled back and wiped away a couple tears, holding her hands and looking at her in awe.

"I…h-how…" William stuttered.

"I think you know how," Lizzie said through her tears and he laughed, shaking his head before kissing her forehead.

"There's so much I want to ask you. Come on." He led her to the couch and she didn't realize how much she needed to sit until her legs wobbled a little. They faced each other and she crossed her legs while he scooted in closer. He reached out and took her hands again, giving her goosebumps as he brushed his thumbs along her wrists.

"How long have you known?" William asked softly.

"Since the doctor."

"Since Monday? Why didn't you tell me then?"

"I needed to see your face when I told you," Lizzie said thickly and his face softened at her choice of words.

"Elizabeth…" his voice broke again and she brushed away a lone tear from his cheek while he smiled gently.

"When I called you after the doctor, you asked me if I was okay," Lizzie sniffed. "I was barely comprehending what was happening. I was in shock when Dr. Gordon told me but I was so excited. I _wanted_ to tell you then and so many times this week. I just didn't think it would be the same if you heard it over the phone. I wanted it to be special."

"This?" William dug the slip of paper out of his pocket, holding it between them. "I'm always going to remember this."

Lizzie smiled before taking it from his hands and silently reading it to herself. "You know, I changed all the fortunes in the cookies to ones I wrote. I didn't know which one you'd get so I had to be sure."

"Did you really?" William glanced at the bowl on the table. "I should have realized something was off when they were out of their wrapping."

Lizzie laughed shakily. "I was afraid you'd say something but I'm glad you didn't."

"What happened to the first one you read?" William asked her. She pulled it out of her pocket and handed it to him. "One plus one equals three."

"You," Lizzie pointed to him and then to herself, "me." She brought her hand down to her stomach. "And baby equals three."

"The baby," William said reverently as he laid a hand over hers. She felt the rush of fresh tears again, laughing as she tried to blink them away while her chin trembled slightly. "Oh, love. Come here."

She uncrossed her legs and climbed into his lap. He kissed her tear-stained cheeks and she held onto him, closing her eyes as he kept pressing his lips to her face. They moved down on the couch after a while and William grabbed a pillow to put behind their heads. Lizzie stayed on her back and he moved to his side, flashing her a sweet smile when she turned her head to look at him. William put a hand back on her stomach and Lizzie covered his with her own.

"How are you feeling? Any symptoms?" William asked, his voice soft and affectionate.

"Mainly fatigue," Lizzie said with a breath. "I'm more happy than anything else because you're home and that you're so clearly happy, too."

"Happy is an understatement," William brought his hand up and stroked her cheek. "I'm ecstatic, overjoyed…jubilant. Um, euphoric. I need another word."

"Over the moon?" Lizzie offered, giggling a little.

"Yea, I'm definitely that," William chuckled, pressing his forehead to hers. "Do you know how far along you are?"

"Not precisely. I don't believe I'm as far along as the doctor suggested. I had no suspicions and barely have symptoms. Honestly? I think this baby was conceived in Hawaii. We were _basically_ acting like newlyweds," Lizzie said with a twinkle in her eye, biting her bottom lip when she caught his tiny smirk. "I know for sure it's not a Valentine's Day baby. I started feeling tired before that. I made an ultrasound appointment on Friday. It should be able to tell us how big the baby is and when I'm due."

"When you're due," William repeated in wonder. "This is all so….I don't even know how to put it in to words."

"I barely can and I've known since Monday."

"These last couple days have been truly exasperating," William sighed and Lizzie scooted in closer, taking his hand that was resting on her stomach. "What got me through them was the thought of knowing I'd be coming home to you. But this? You turned a terrible day into one of the best days of my life."

Lizzie felt herself well up with tears again and then groaned, covering her face with her hands. He laughed and started to pull them away.

"Don't hide your face. I've missed it too much these past two weeks," William murmured and Lizzie sighed, bringing her arms back down.

"I knew that once I started, I wouldn't be able to stop," Lizzie admitted. He looked warmly at her, wiping away a tear from her cheek.

"Happy tears never need an excuse."

"Do you know how much I love you?"

"About as much as I love you," William replied before kissing her. Lizzie giggled against his lips and wrapped her arms around his neck as he shifted above her. It felt so good to be back in his arms, feeling the comfort of him. She hummed as his lips skated along her cheek to kiss her jaw and she tilted her head back as his nose skimmed down the column of her throat. He slowly made his way down her body and she sighed happily. The bottom of her shirt had ridden up a little and he pushed it up a bit further, exposing part of her stomach. He settled between her legs, flashed her a dimpled smile and then pressed his lips to her skin. The gesture put a lump in her throat and she reached down, running her fingers through his hair. After a few moments, she felt his breath tickling her slightly and realized he was whispering something she couldn't quite hear.

"What are you doing?" Lizzie asked and William glanced up at her.

"I'm introducing myself. Thought the baby might like to know who I am," William said tenderly.

"Oh, Will. Come here," Lizzie whimpered, tugging on his shirt. William pulled himself up and laid down next to her as Lizzie moved to her side to face him. He rested one arm around her waist, pulled her in closer and started brushing his fingertips along her lower back as she put one hand on his cheek. "You're going to be a dad."

William smiled one of the most beautiful smiles she had ever seen and her heart expanded. "And you're going to be a mom. We're going to have a _baby_!"

"We're going to have a baby!" Lizzie repeated and they both laughed with excitement, "I can't believe we're going to be parents. It's kind of terrifying…but in a good way. Does that make sense?"

"It does. We're going to be good parents, right?"

"We'll try our hardest," Lizzie said quietly. "I'm glad I have you by my side."

"For everything," William promised, kissing the top of her head. "There's so much we need to do. I mean –"

Lizzie put a hand over his mouth and he raised an eyebrow at her.

"Not yet," Lizzie said simply and he nodded. He kissed her palm before she took her hand away. "Tonight is just about us."

"And the baby."

"Of course."

William covered his mouth as he yawned and Lizzie gave him a sympathetic look when he finished. "Sorry."

"Don't apologize. You must be exhausted after everything. I wouldn't be upset if you wanted to go to bed early. After this week, I'd probably be there soon myself," Lizzie said.

"Not just yet. I _would_ like to hear more about your week. Maybe include some details you purposely omitted?"

"I've got a few stories," Lizzie said and they got even more comfortable on the couch. They shared stories and opened up the rest of the fortune cookies. She told him how she came up with each one and they agreed to put all of them on the first page of their eventual baby book. Once William's eyes began to droop a bit, Lizzie knew it was time to get him to bed. He was practically asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow and she was close behind him, more than content in his arms.

* * *

 _Saturday, March 10th_

William Darcy hadn't woken up this refreshed in a long time. It may have been combination of finally being home and back in a familiar bed. It could have also been his body recovering from the sleep he lost over the past two weeks and spending an entire day at an airport. But he knew it really had to do with his still sleeping wife next to him. All he wanted to do was come home to her and then she made his return better than he could have imagined.

Lizzie was pregnant.

He still couldn't quite believe it. One minute he was talking to her about apartment hunting for his sister and the next, he found out he was going to be a father. A little slip of paper had completely changed his future and he had never been so happy. He would never forget the look on Lizzie's face at that moment. Their family was growing and they were going to have a baby.

He glanced over at Lizzie and he smiled. It was wonderful to be back next to her again. The past month had been hard on them, spending more time apart than together. He had nearly forgotten how beautiful and peaceful she looked when she was asleep. And now she was carrying his child. _Their_ child. The thought made his heart skip a beat and suck the air out of his lungs at the same time. He didn't know nearly enough about this. Gigi was already a teenager when he started raising her. Being a sibling and being a father were vastly different.

William wanted to be well-informed about everything to do with the pregnancy so he could help Lizzie when she needed it. He carefully moved away from her and grabbed his phone off the night stand before settling back against his pillow. There must be apps available to give him the information he needed and to help them out throughout the next nine months. He must have lost track of time and didn't even notice Lizzie had woken up until he felt her hand sliding up his chest.

"Good morning, beautiful," William said gravelly, lifting his arm and putting it around her shoulders.

"Morning, handsome," Lizzie murmured, noticing his phone. "What are you doing?"

"Reading up on the best pregnancy apps to download. I've already got a couple on my phone."

"Seriously?"

"Yep. There's a few for the expectant father but the reviews are just okay so I'm looking for ones that work for both of us," William explained. "There's one where we'll be able to hear the baby's heartbeat in the last trimester and one where we can find potential baby names. I also saw one called Baby Pool that would be perfect for our betting friends."

"What is it?"

"It's an app that lets the user guess baby's sex, measurements, and whatnot. Once we tell them about the baby, Fitz will probably be the first one to 'discover' it," William said, using air quotes and making Lizzie snicker. "But obviously it's going to be a while before we tell them."

"Yea. No one else is allowed in this bubble yet."

"I'm perfectly happy with that," William smiled and Lizzie nodded, pulling herself up and kissing him for a moment before resting her head against his shoulder.

"So, what's that one?" Lizzie asked, pointing to a gray icon.

"It's a contraction timer."

"Will! It's _way_ too early for that one!"

"It's never too early to be prepared."

"You're ridiculous," Lizzie laughed, shaking her head. "And I love you for it."

"I love you too," William kissed the top of her head. "I've been debating between a couple different apps that I think you would like. It gives us a lot of information like weekly updates, a tab for jotting down notes for the doctor, and a symptoms checker."

"That sounds really helpful for us. You'll have to show them to me later."

"Later?"

"Mmhmm. You see, you've been home for more than twelve hours."

"That's true."

"And we haven't _properly_ celebrated your return yet."

"Well, I was pretty jet-lagged last night."

"Are you feeling better now?" Lizzie asked.

"Much."

"Then put your phone away and get those clothes off because we have twice as much to celebrate, Mr. Darcy," Lizzie said with a mischievous little grin. William stretched out and put his phone back on the nightstand before sitting up and pulling his shirt off over his head, tossing it towards the end of the bed. Lizzie giggled lowly as he watched her while she unbuttoned her shirt and wiggled out of her pajama shorts. He climbed on top of her and flashed her a particularly gorgeous smile.

"As you wish, Mrs. Darcy."

* * *

Lizzie and William relaxed in bed for a while afterwards, perfectly content to stay in each other's arms. It wasn't until William's stomach started growling that they decided it was a good time for breakfast. They put minimal effort in getting dressed with Lizzie wearing underwear and an old t-shirt of William's while he only put on boxer-briefs and some lounge pants. Lizzie led the way to the kitchen with William right on her heels, his hands on her hips. She kept giggling as he would pull her back to kiss her neck and shoulder, making their short trip even longer. Their behavior brought back memories for Lizzie and reminded her of the weekend they got engaged and their honeymoon. The romance certainly hadn't fizzled since then but the news of the baby added a level of playfulness between them.

"What would you like for breakfast?" William asked lowly, nibbling on her earlobe and sliding his arms around her waist.

"Mmmm…pancakes," Lizzie said. "And maybe some scrambled eggs?"

"Sounds good to me," William said, kissing her cheek before letting go of her. "Would you like to take care of the beverages?"

"Sure. Do you want coffee or tea? I've been making myself tea since Monday," Lizzie said, walking over to the cupboard.

"I read that a little coffee is okay. I think it was a few hundred milligrams."

"I read that too, but I don't want to spend every day measuring out my drinks. Besides, you know how I love my tea. I think I can handle it for the next nine months."

"I'll tell you what. I'll switch to tea as well. If you're not having it then I'm not having it."

Lizzie glanced over at him, raising an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Sure," William nodded before pulling out his phone. "There's actually an app that we can use when we're not sure if something is okay for you to eat. Whatever you can't eat, I won't eat either."

"You don't have to do that, Will," Lizzie said, clearly touched.

"It's the least I can do for you right now," William smiled. She scurried over to him and wrapped her arms around his torso, standing on her toes and kissing him.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome," William bent down to kiss her once more. "Now, I need to make you and baby some pancakes."

* * *

After breakfast, Lizzie and William had a quiet morning. The weather was gloomy and it made the two of them feel lazy, not that either of them felt like venturing outside. They watched an old black and white movie in the morning while Lizzie rested her head in William's lap. He absently ran his fingers through her hair as they watched and she felt at ease. They had leftover Chinese food for lunch when they realized it had begun raining, sealing their decision to stay home for the day.

As they cleaned up from lunch, Lizzie's flirtatious glances and William's handsiness began to increase. The moment she suggested a shower, all pretenses disappeared. He carried her to the bathroom while they got lost in each other's kisses and tore off what little clothing they wore. Entirely too much time was spent in the shower washing and enjoying each other but they couldn't care less. They were making up for all the showers they had taken alone in the past two weeks.

They eventually migrated back to the living room where William started a fire and made a makeshift bed with pillows and blankets. They talked for a while about what they were looking forward to until Lizzie fell asleep. William kissed her temple and covered her with a blanket, letting her sleep for as long as she needed. He grabbed his laptop and sat on the couch, taking the opportunity to do a little more research.

Lizzie stirred a few times but didn't wake up until William was just finishing making dinner. She apologized for sleeping so long and he gave her a sweet kiss, telling her it didn't matter and that she obviously needed it. They spent the rest of their night watching TV curled up on the couch together, finding a channel that was marathoning _I Love Lucy_. When they came across the episode where Lucy kept trying to tell Ricky she was pregnant, William's hand slid down from her hip to her stomach. Lizzie entwined her fingers with his while he whispered how much he loved her near her ear. It was a relaxing day and they were glad to be back in each other's arms after such a hectic month. It wasn't long before William was yawning and they decided to go to bed. Lizzie curled against William in bed and neither had any trouble falling right to sleep.

* * *

 _Sunday, March 11th_

When Lizzie and William woke up, they found that it was still raining outside. It looked like it was another lazy day in store for them. Part of the morning was taken up by researching which doctor would be best for Lizzie and the baby. The rest of her morning was spent at the bay window, reading a book she hadn't had time for yet while William was close by, working on his laptop. She must have fallen asleep because when she woke up, he was nowhere to be found. She listened for any sounds he might have been making and then decided to go look for him. When she looked down the bedroom hall, she noticed the light was on in the guest bedroom.

"Will?" Lizzie said softly, peeking into the room. He was standing there in the middle of the room, his arms crossed against his bare chest and looking deep in thought. She said his name once more as she walked in and he quickly turned his head towards her. "What are you doing in here?"

"Um…" he sheepishly smiled at her. "Just thinking."

"About?" Lizzie asked, already knowing the answer.

"Changes we could make," William said, rubbing the back of his neck. "I don't know. I just…"

"You got caught up in the moment?" Lizzie finished.

"Yea," William sighed. Lizzie walked over and fit herself into his arms while he rested his chin on the top of her head. "It's difficult not to get excited. I am logically aware that it's too early to be thinking of how to decorate a nursery or make a list of what we need once the baby comes. My brain is just working on overtime."

"You've already started making a list?"

"Only mentally."

"Well, I can't say I'm not guilty of getting carried away either," Lizzie told him, pulling back a little to look at him. "I went into this little baby store a few days ago."

William's eyebrows raised slightly. "Really?"

"I was staring at this little onesie and picturing us with a baby," Lizzie said softly, pausing for a moment. "Then this woman came up and asked if I needed help but I panicked because I knew it was too soon to buy anything, but I loved the thought that I'd be able to go back there with you so we could shop together."

"Don't we make a wonderful pair," William chuckled, bending down to kiss her. "At least we're not throwing you a baby shower before you're even three months pregnant."

"All I know is that I'm incredibly lucky right now," Lizzie said. "You might be getting ahead of yourself but you've shown me how hands on you're going to be all throughout this. You're going to be by my side for all of this and it makes me feel so much better."

"You and me? We're partners," William said warmly. "That means that we work together and help each other equally. I'm there whenever you need me just like you are for me. I'll be there for the diaper changes and the two am feedings and everything in between. I think those are a privilege as a parent and I'm not going to miss any of it."

"You, sir, are wonderful," Lizzie murmured. She brought her hands up and framed his face, pulling him down to kiss him. He wrapped his arms around her and brought her up to her toes, holding her close to him as they continued. It was soft but passionate and they both lingered at the end of it. "I love you."

"I love you." William brought his hand down, pressing it flat across her stomach. "And this baby, too."

" _Our_ baby," Lizzie emphasized proudly as her eyes became glassy.

"Right," William said breathily before he broke out into a beautiful smile. "Ours."

* * *

 _Notes:_

 _And there we have it. I'm really quite proud of this chapter and I partially have Sarah to thank for it. She's an amazing beta and I'm glad she's around to help me._

 _Hope you enjoyed it!_


	8. Milestones

_Summary: It's a big weekend of celebrations for Lizzie and William._

* * *

 _Notes: Thank you so much for your comments on the last chapter and I'm very happy you enjoyed it. It's one of my favorites so far. Anyway, on to the next!_

* * *

William and Lizzie had a harder time than usual going back to work on Monday. Their weekend of celebrating wasn't enough for either of them. Plus, Lizzie had her birthday weekend to look forward to. William wasn't budging on where he was planning to take her but he gave her enough hints that she knew how to pack.

While they were both getting ready on Monday morning, one of them kept would pull the other in for kisses or would sneak a touch. Her news had woken something up in both of them and the playfulness between each other had been amplified. They were acting the same way they had when they returned from their honeymoon – but neither of them was complaining.

All throughout the week, William praised Lizzie's willpower to not blurt out their news to the first person who asked how she was during those first days and told her how amazing it was to have a secret like this. He felt relief each night he came home because he no longer had to hold back his excitement.

On Thursday evening, they went over their plans for Friday. They intended to leave straight from their ultrasound appointment since the drive would take a little over three hours. Both Fitz and Brandon and Charlotte and Sam were working for half the day so Lizzie and William would be the first to arrive. Unfortunately, Lydia told them she was stuck working the whole weekend and wouldn't be able to make it.

"So, you won't tell me where we're staying?" Lizzie asked as they sat next to each other on the couch. William lifted an eyebrow at her question.

"I seem to recall being kidnapped for my thirtieth birthday with no warning. You even packed for me," William reminded her. "The only hint you gave me was on the drive there with a well-planned mixed CD."

"Ooh! Do I get a mixed CD?"

"I apologize but no. You are far superior in that department." William put an arm around her shoulder and she tucked her feet under her. "I promise you that you will love the place. Sam, Fitz, and I all thought it was a wonderful location to celebrate yours and Charlotte's thirtieth."

"And our fifth anniversary," Lizzie said proudly, nudging her shoulder into his chest.

"Best five years of my life," William beamed at her before she rested her head on his shoulder. "You know what I'm excited about?"

"Celebrating together?" Lizzie replied.

"Mmhmm," William hummed. "And I'm really looking forward to tomorrow."

"You and me both," Lizzie sighed, bringing their joined hands to rest on her stomach. "I can't wait to get a glimpse of the little one."

"The little one?"

"I've been testing nicknames in my head. I'd rather not use 'it' when talking about our baby. Also, Little D is kind of terrible."

"Oh god, I'm getting flashbacks. Terrible private school flashbacks."

"Were you picked on?" Lizzie asked, her face softening.

"Only briefly during the beginning of eighth grade. Declan Ashford and Holden Kent decided that would be my nickname all that first semester. It was frustrating, to say the least."

"For the record, those names are ridiculous. And middle school kids can be such jerks. That settles it. Little D is forthwith banned from this household," Lizzie vowed.

They spent the rest of the night sharing some old stories, laughing at some of the more ridiculous ones, before they watched a movie together. Lizzie fell asleep before it ended, which was no surprise to William. He smiled to himself and carefully got up without waking her before picking her up and taking her to bed. After double-checking that everything was ready for tomorrow, he joined her in bed and was asleep soon after.

* * *

 _Friday, March 16th_

After a light breakfast and making sure they had everything they needed for the weekend, William packed up the car while Lizzie started on her second bottle of water of the day. Her only instructions were to have a full bladder for her ultrasound and she was making sure to follow it. When they were ready to go, they locked up and headed to UCSF Medical Center. William took Lizzie's hand as they walked to the right building. They checked in and took a seat in the waiting room, near the main door. After a few minutes of waiting, he noticed Lizzie's leg was bouncing so he put a hand on her knee, effectively stopping her. She smiled sheepishly at him.

"You okay?"

"I'm fine. Just trying to distract myself."

"From?"

"My bladder," Lizzie said. "I think I overdid it with the tea _and_ extra water."

"I'm sorry. It's only a little longer," William offered, rubbing her back.

"It's fine. This is just a preview of the coming months." Lizzie shrugged.

"Darcy? Elizabeth Darcy." They both turned as her name was called and saw a woman leaning against the open door.

"Oh thank god," Lizzie muttered under her breath and William couldn't help but chuckle at her relief. They both stood up and smiled at the woman calling her name. They followed her down the hall to a room that had a monitor and other equipment along with an examining table for Lizzie and a chair for William to sit in. The woman instructed Lizzie to strip from the waist down and use the sheet that was folded at the bottom of the bed. She told them the technician would be with them in a few minutes before closing the door and leaving them alone. William studied the posters on the wall while she undressed and got situated on the table.

"Are you nervous?" William asked, sitting down and pulling the chair closer to her side.

"Nope." Lizzie shook her head. "Are you?"

"Mainly excited to see something," William said and they shared a smile. There was a soft knock on the door and a moment later, a young woman in pink scrubs came in. She was petite and had her blonde hair in a high ponytail.

"Good morning! My name is Amber," she greeted, shaking her hand. "Elizabeth?"

"Morning. I prefer Lizzie," Lizzie said.

"Hello, Lizzie!" Amber corrected herself before she turned to William and shook his hand. "Are you the father-to-be?"

"I am. My name is William." Lizzie could have sworn she saw his chest puff up a little and she pressed her lips together in amusement.

"Nice to meet you both. Lizzie, why don't you lie down for me and I'm going to get all set up. William, you're welcome to take pictures and video," Amber said before she went over to the sink to wash her hands. She grabbed a pair of latex gloves for herself and then headed over to the ultrasound machine, getting everything prepared. Once she was ready, she explained to Lizzie what the transvaginal ultrasound entailed and then asked her to take a deep breath. Lizzie grabbed William's hand and closed her eyes for a moment, making herself relax as Amber used the ultrasound probe.

"Alright," Amber said in a soothing tone, turning the screen enough so that Lizzie and William could easily see it. "How far along do you think you are?"

"Between six and eight weeks," Lizzie said, a bit unsurely.

"That's a big window," Amber said. "Have you been feeling any symptoms?"

"Fatigue. I've been falling asleep like an old lady this whole week," Lizzie said, seeing one corner of William's lips lift. "But I've read that more symptoms show up after six weeks. No morning sickness so far."

"That's good. Not all women develop morning sickness. Let's see what we can find out," she said. Lizzie stared at the screen and William pulled out his phone, waiting to see something while Amber adjusted the probe slight and hit a few buttons. After a few moments, there was a dark spot and Amber pressed a few buttons to focus on it, making it bigger.

"There we are. You're definitely not eight weeks. The baby would be a bit bigger," Amber confirmed, pointing to the screen. "This is the womb cavity. This…" she pointed to something small and round. "…is the yolk sac that supports the pregnancy until the placenta takes over. That's your baby."

"Oh my god," Lizzie whispered under her breath, glancing to William. He was holding up his phone and recording. He looked to her with shiny eyes and broke out into a gorgeous grin, making her own smile grow. He lifted their joined hands and kissed hers.

"Your first?" Amber asked and they both nodded silently. "Congratulations."

"Thank you," they said together, making each other chuckle.

"Do you see that flicker?" Amber asked, pointing right to it. "That's the heartbeat."

"The baby already has a heartbeat?" William asked in disbelief. The mixture of seeing the heartbeat and his awed tone brought Lizzie's heart back up to her throat.

"The heart starts beating at five weeks but we see it more clearly at six weeks," Amber explained, taking a few measurements. "The baby is really tiny at this point but they're measuring perfectly."

"There's just one?" William asked.

"Yes, only one," Amber confirmed and Lizzie looked at him curiously.

"What? Your sister had twins. I wanted to ask."

"It's okay to ask," Amber said before entering in some more information. "You're measuring at six weeks exactly. That would put your due date on November 9th."

Lizzie squeezed William's hand. "Early birthday present for you."

"That is the best birthday present I can think of," William smiled at her. "It's close to the twins' birthday too."

"That should be interesting."

"Few women go into labor on their actual due date. Most expecting moms I see end up going past their due date," Amber offered before adding, "some are early as well."

"If this baby wants to come _on_ my birthday, you won't hear any complaints from me," William teased Lizzie.

"I don't know if I want to make that promise," Lizzie deadpanned and William chuckled.

"Okay. The heartbeat is looking good to my naked eye," Amber continued, pointing out the flicker once more. "I'm going to record so I need you to hold your breath for a second."

Lizzie nodded and inhaled while William brought his phone up again to capture what she was doing. She clicked on what part of the ultrasound and recorded waves for a moment.

"You can breathe now," Amber said gently, measuring out one section. "112 beats per minute and that's really good at this point. Your baby is doing well."

She took a few more minutes to explain everything on the screen in a little more detail for them, putting any worries at ease and making them feel comfortable. "Would you like me to print out a picture?"

"Yes, please!" Lizzie perked up.

"How many?"

"Um," they both looked at each other. "Two? We're not telling anybody yet."

"It's still early. You'll have another ultrasound around 12-13 weeks, depending on your doctor. The baby will look more like a baby then. That's always more fun to show people. Let me print your pictures."

There was a whirring sound from the machine as two copies of the ultrasound printed out and she handed them to William. She congratulated them once more before making her exit, giving them a few moments alone.

"I want to gloat with you but you need to excuse me for a sec," Lizzie said quickly, grabbing her clothes and hoisting up her sheet just enough that she could scurry into the small bathroom. She left William alone with the pictures and his own thoughts. He stared at the ultrasound pictures in his hand. It was incredible how something so minuscule was already affecting their lives. One glimpse left him breathless. And seeing the heartbeat? He couldn't put it into words. The proof that they were actually going to have a baby was right there in his hands and he felt like he was on cloud nine.

Lizzie came out of the bathroom fully dressed and looking significantly relieved. William looked up and locked eyes with her, and she gave him a sweet smile.

"We're having a baby." William said it like it was the first time.

Lizzie visibly swallowed, her eyes glistened, and her smile grew. "We are."

William stood up and closed the distance between them, pulling her in for a hug. Lizzie was caught off guard for a split second but quickly brought her arms around his neck.

"May I see?" Lizzie gestured to the ultrasound. He nodded with a smile and handed it to her. She looked at it for a few moments before looking back up at William with a bright expression. "I'm so excited for this."

"You and me both, love," William murmured, kissing her forehead. "We should probably get going. We've got a bit of a road trip ahead of us."

"Right." Lizzie grabbed her tote and slid the pictures in, double-checking to make sure she didn't forget anything. "We may have to stop a couple times along the way."

"I'm aware of your small bladder," William teased, taking her hand as they left the room.

"I feel like it's getting smaller."

"I will stop as many times as you need. Don't you worry."

"I never do when I'm with you."

William offered to drive for obvious reasons and Lizzie took charge of the music once they made it out of San Francisco. She took out her phone and set up some music for their drive ahead. She found a Beatles playlist that she made a long time ago and pressed play, wanting something light and classic. After a while, Lizzie pulled out one of the pictures to look at it again. William reached over and put a hand on her leg, rubbing it for a moment.

"It's hard not to keep looking at that picture, isn't it?" William said.

"You know, the more I look at this, the more I'm convinced this baby has your eyes," Lizzie joked, making him laugh.

"Very cute."

"No, really! This baby has the most gorgeous blue eyes. Oh! I think I see a dimple."

"You're being silly."

"I know but I _so_ hope this baby gets your dimples," Lizzie said affectionately. He lifted his hand and curled a strand of her hair around his finger, keeping his eyes on the road.

"I'd love it if the baby got your hair," William played along. "And your smile."

"We're just going to have to wait and see," Lizzie said, patting her stomach. "Baby still has a ton more developing to do."

"Do you want to check the specifics with the app we picked?" William asked.

"Ooh! Good idea." Lizzie pulled out her phone to update the baby app. She entered in her due date and it popped up that she was six weeks along, making her smile.

"What does it say?"

"Your little one has tripled in size and is protected by amniotic fluid. Although he's…or she's grown by leaps and bounds, they're still only about the size of a pomegranate seed," Lizzie read. "The baby weighs less than point zero four ounces."

"Wow."

"I know," Lizzie took a deep breath. "There's more. Ugh. They're only using 'he' and no 'she'."

"Preference?"

"Equal opportunity. I will love either just as much," Lizzie chuckled, gently smacking his arm.

"Hey! Don't distract the driver," William warned her with a smile playing on his lips.

"Excuse me, sir," Lizzie apologized before she continued. "Facial features like eyes and nostrils are beginning to form, and little buds appear where arms and legs will develop. Their organs began developing at four weeks and some have started to function."

"Like the heart beating," William offered proudly.

"Exactly." Lizzie rested her head against the head rest, looking at him. "I'm really glad you came with me today."

"There's no way I would have missed that," William said, reaching over and squeezing her hand before grabbing the wheel again. "I'm going to do my best to go to every single appointment with you. I don't want to miss big moments."

"We have a lifetime of big moments ahead of us."

"We do, don't we? I'm happy that you're the one I get to experience them with."

Lizzie smiled brightly at him. "Me too. We're lucky people."

"I'm inclined to agree."

There was a moment of silence between them as the music flowed through the car speakers.

"So, what does the app say about any changes for you?"

"Oh! Let me look."

Lizzie continued reading information out loud to help pass the time. Thankfully, they only had to stop twice for a bathroom break but they still made good time. They made it to their destination in under three and a half hours just after noon. Lizzie's eyes lit up with intrigue when William pulled off the highway at Fort Bragg, a small coastal town above San Francisco. They had lunch at a little bistro before heading to a grocery store to buy some food for the weekend.

"So, this place is pretty," Lizzie observed as they put the groceries in the car.

"And you haven't even see where we're staying yet."

"Can't wait," Lizzie beamed. "Thank you for taking me here."

"My pleasure." William brushed his knuckles across her cheek and bent down to kiss her, soft and tenderly. When he pulled back, there was a smile on her face and it made him feel better. "We should go. I don't want to start making out in a Safeway parking lot."

"You don't find them romantic?"

"Oh yes. It's so difficult for me to control my urges here," Lizzie deadpanned, rolling her eyes at him.

The rest of their short drive was along the coast, giving them beautiful views of the ocean. William slowed down to read the addresses and then found the right house, pulling into the big driveway. The outside of the one-story house didn't give off much of an impression to Lizzie. There wasn't a wow factor like some of the other places William had taken her; it just looked like an average house. But she knew there must have been a reason he picked this place. Of course, she could hear the ocean as soon as she got out of the car and could see it in the distance so she knew there were perks to the location.

"Let's get the food put away and then I'll give you a proper tour of the place," William suggested.

"Sounds good to me."

They both grabbed the bags from the back of the car and she followed him along the short red brick path to the door. He put the bags down and fished a key out of his pocket, unlocking the door, pushing it open. Picking the bags back up, they both stepped inside and Lizzie was immediately impressed.

They had walked into a large room that had an open living room and kitchen. To the right of Lizzie, there was a couch against the wall and a game table in the corner. The kitchen had the biggest island she had ever seen with six stools tucked underneath one side. Three lamps above lit up the pale granite countertop and everything in the kitchen looked pristine. The living room had an L-shaped plush couch big enough to fit the entire group with a white coffee table centered in front of it. A large television was on a black stand right next to the fireplace, which had a wooden frame around it and a large model sailing ship on the mantel. Just beyond the living room was a sitting area with two wicker chairs and a telescope in the corner next to the floor-to-ceiling windows that showed off some of their view. Lizzie could see that there was a deck outside and she was itching to see the rest of it.

"Okay. I love this place already," Lizzie exclaimed, setting the bags down on the counter and walking over to the windows. She noticed the dining area to the right of her, just around the corner from the kitchen. There was a wooden table with enough room for seven chairs. A door was just beyond that and she had to assume it was one of the bedrooms. She glanced outside to see wooden deck chairs and a picnic table.

"Hey! Are you not going to help?" William asked as he was putting food away.

"I'm _pregnant_ ," Lizzie joked, flashing him a silly grin.

"Really?" William snorted. "I'll let you use that excuse all you want in your third trimester but you're far from incapable now."

"It's my birthday weekend," Lizzie whined, putting on a show and swinging her arms at her sides as she walked back over to him.

"Are you throwing a tantrum?" William raised an eyebrow at her display.

"I'm just giving you some practice." Lizzie started unloading her bags and handing him things to put in the fridge.

"I'd like to think we'd raise our child well enough that they would not throw tantrums."

"Me too. You should still prepare for anything. Even Jane threw a couple tantrums early in life."

"Not possible. You're making things up to try and prove your point."

"I would never. You can even ask my mother," Lizzie said, gathering up the bags and storing them under the sink as he put away the last of the food away.

"Maybe later," William said, sidling up next to her and leaning against the counter on his elbows. "Would you like to see the rest of the place? As the first to arrive, we get first choice of the bedrooms."

There were five bedrooms to choose from. Four of the bedrooms were all down one hall past the living room. The first master bedroom had a corner view of the ocean and access to the deck that wrapped around the whole back of the house. The room was simple with a queen-sized bed with a nightstand on both sides and a chair in the corner. Curtains wrapped around the floor to ceiling windows and a full bathroom was attached. The bedroom across from it had a queen-sized bed as well as a wicker chair and a small dresser in each corner and looked out to the front of the house. The second full bathroom was situated between that bedroom and the next and was shared between all three regular rooms. One bedroom had two twin beds and also had a similar view to the bedroom across the first master. The last bedroom in the hallway had a queen-sized bed and access to the deck.

William was obviously saving the best bedroom for last. After checking out the first four, they walked back through the living room and past the dining room. Lizzie was antsy to check out the deck for an unobstructed view but she wanted to get settled in first. She opened the last bedroom door and immediately smiled. It was more spacious than the other four by far. There was a couch against the closest wall with another model ship sitting above it on its own little shelf. The owners must have liked ships since Lizzie was noticing them all throughout the place. A queen sized bed sat against the furthest wall with two bedside tables framing it. A comfortable wicker chair was situated in the corner, closest to their floor to ceiling windows and personal access to the deck. There were two closets available to them as well as an attached full bathroom with sliding glass shower doors.

"I claim this room for ourselves," Lizzie said, barely containing her glee.

"I want to show you two more things before we can get settled in and test out that bed."

Lizzie arched an eyebrow at the double entendre, but her curiosity won out as he took her hand and led her to the sliding glass doors, unlocking it and sliding one open. They stepped out onto the deck and felt the ocean breeze. William veered right and Lizzie immediately spotted his target. A covered Jacuzzi and two white sun chairs at the end of the deck. There was a spacious side yard beyond the divider and an open shower for washing off any sand from the beach.

"I hate to say it but I won't be able to do much more than stick my feet in that Jacuzzi. I remember Jane mentioning it's not good for pregnant women because it messes with your core temperature."

"Oh. I should have known better," William frowned, looking disappointed with himself. "I suppose it's the thought that counts." Lizzie brought a hand up to rest against his neck and stood on her toes, kissing his cheek.

"It counts," Lizzie reassured him. "You brought me to a beautiful place with ocean views and access to a great beach. This deck is awesome, by the way. I'm very happy with my present."

"Good."

"Now, what's the last thing you wanted to show me?"

William led her back inside, making their way through the bedroom to the other door perpendicular to theirs, through the laundry room to one last door to what she believed was the garage. When he opened it, she discovered the garage had been converted into a game room. There was a foosball table near a television on the wall, a ping-pong table, and a poker table furnished with four lime-green chairs. There were a few chairs and a couch to lounge on. William excused himself for a moment and she explored the room more, checking out the cabinets. They were full of board games, various puzzles, and a small selection of DVDs. There were more to choose from in the living room and Lizzie loved the place even more, seeing that there was something for everyone.

"Suitcases are safely stowed in our room." William re-appeared at the doorway and Lizzie spun around towards his voice.

"Thank you! I could have helped you bring things in," Lizzie said, walking over to him.

"Oh no, you're _pregnant_ ," William said with a smirk as she approached him. "Also, I checked in with the rest of the group."

"And?"

"Sam and Charlotte just left. Fitz and Brandon are making a quick stop but they should be on the road in the next thirty minutes."

"So, what you're saying is that we have the place to ourselves for a few more hours." Lizzie slowly slid her hands up to his chest. William watched her movements and one corner of his lips quirked up.

"I believe I am."

"How do you propose we pass the time?"

"I can think of a few things," William said, guiding them out of the laundry room. He backed into the dining room table and stopped, not catching the entertained expression from Lizzie. "But seeing as how it's your birthday weekend, it's ultimately up to you."

"I'd love a few choices," Lizzie toyed with him. She knew exactly what she wanted to do but she always enjoyed this little game between them. It had been more than a couple days because she kept falling asleep before they even made it to bed at night, though she had woken up each day in their own bed and in his embrace. Her fatigue had been a wrench in their plans to make up for lost time once he came home from his business trip but he never showed disappointment. She only hoped that this symptom wouldn't affect her more than it already was, especially when she was only six weeks pregnant. She had so much longer to go.

"Let's see," William started. "There's quite a bit to choose from. We could watch a movie together, you could read a little, or we could even take a walk on the beach."

"You're leaving the best option out."

"I mentioned the beach, right?"

Lizzie laughed before bringing her arms around his neck and kissing him softly. She lingered and watched his eyes darken with need, an expression that rivaled her own. "Take me to bed already, Mr. Darcy."

William cupped his hands around the back of her thighs and lifted her up, breaking out into a full-blown grin as he headed to their bedroom.

"Gladly."

* * *

After a shower to freshen up, Lizzie and William finally left the intimacy of their bedroom to relax in the living room. As they waited for the group to arrive, William started a movie and Lizzie rested her head in his lap as they watched. It was something they had seen before but she didn't want to get too invested in a movie that would be interrupted. Soon enough, they heard the sound of a car rolling into the driveway and two doors slamming shut. Lizzie shut the TV off and got up from the couch, with William close behind.

Sam and Charlotte had arrived and they all greeted each other with hugs before helping unload the car.

"Fitz and Brandon aren't here yet?" Sam asked, looking around for a third car.

"They'll probably be here within the hour," William replied.

"Can we go in? I want to see this place already. Sam refused to tell me anything," Charlotte said.

"William too!" Lizzie laughed.

"Oh great. Your husband is a bad influence on mine," Charlotte deadpanned, glancing at William and Sam. Sam didn't do anything to hide his amused smile and William simply shrugged.

"You'll get used to it." Lizzie linked arms with her. "Come on. You're going to love it. The view alone is totally worth it."

Sam and Charlotte chose the second master bedroom, as Lizzie had predicted, before checking out the rest of the house. With promises to go down to the beach once Fitz and Brandon arrived, they migrated outside on the deck to enjoy the cool air and the view. William checked his phone every couple of minutes but Lizzie barely noticed, too immersed in a work story that Charlotte was telling. His phone buzzed and he excused himself, kissing Lizzie on the top of her head before stepping inside. After another minute, Sam excused himself and left the girls to themselves.

"Do you think they're planning something for us in there?" Charlotte asked.

"I wouldn't be surprised."

"Should we wait a few minutes or go inside?"

"Let's go in now. I need more water," Lizzie said, shaking her nearly empty water bottle as they got up. They headed back inside, just in time to see Fitz walking through the door with some bags.

"The birthday ladies!" Fitz exclaimed, putting his stuff down. "Or shall I say the master bedroom thieves?"

"Are you celebrating a birthday or anniversary this weekend, Fitz?" Lizzie challenged.

"Not last time I checked, Lizzie D." Fitz hugged her.

"What took you guys so long?"

"We had a few errands to run. Stopped by Roundman's Smokehouse to get the order Darcy put in. Prime rib roast for dinner."

"That sounds delicious," Charlotte said.

"I'll be making it, of course, since I _am_ the best at the grill," Fitz bragged. "And we also picked up a stray on the way."

"Stop calling me a stray, Fitz."

Lizzie's eyes widened at the sound of a familiar voice and spun around, seeing Jane standing in the front doorway. Brandon and Sam were sitting on the couch near the entryway and William was leaning against the wall looking far too proud of himself. Lizzie didn't know whether to kiss that expression off his face or scream with excitement. She chose the latter.

"Jane!" Lizzie ran over to her older sister and threw her arms around her. "What are you doing here?!"

"Celebrating my sister's thirtieth!" Jane laughed as they hugged. "It was a surprise."

"It _is_ a surprise! I had no idea whatsoever!" Lizzie said, looking to William. "You're getting _way_ too good at this, mister."

"I learned from the best."

She smiled warmly at him and he smiled back before picking up Jane's luggage to bring to her room. Charlotte and Jane greeted each other with big hugs and the girls migrated over to the large couch in the living room.

"How long are you here for?"

"Just until Sunday afternoon. Fitz and Brandon are graciously giving me a ride back to the airport."

"Where's Bing?"

"He's watching the twins back at home. His parents decided to fly over and give him an extra hand. It's been a little hectic since we started potty-training."

"No! Already?"

"Believe me, it is. Scarlett kept saying she wanted to be a big girl and Charlie pretty much goes along with whatever she says. He's picking it up so much quicker than her too."

"Oh, I bet she loves that."

It felt good to see Jane again, despite having just visited her last month. They always had news to share and Lizzie ate up every story about the twins. She had a split second thought that it would be nice to tell Jane her good news in person but it was far too early. Jane had announced her pregnancy before she hit three months but Lizzie simply wasn't ready, even though she was dying to tell her. Having a sister who was already raising children and had experienced what she was about to experience made her feel relieved that she would have someone to turn to for help and advice and everything in between.

William and the rest of the guys joined them in the living room and the conversation flowed all the way until the sun began to go down. Somebody suggested a walk on the beach and everybody else agreed. Lizzie and William were the slowest of the group, taking their time as they walked along the shore. They watched the sunset and the sky shifting from pinks and oranges to inky blue and black. Eventually, they returned to the house and everybody lent a hand in making dinner.

As Lizzie sat at the table enjoying the last bites of her dinner, she watched as the group split into different conversations. Jane, Charlotte, and Fitz were deep in a discussion about a new clothing trend that confused all three of them while William, Sam, and Brandon were talking about some story in the news. Everybody was happy. Everybody was so connected to each other. There was nowhere else she wanted to be.

William tapped her forearm to get her attention and she turned to look at him, offering him a little smile.

"How are you doing? Okay?"

Lizzie nodded and her smile grew. "Fantastic."

* * *

 _Saturday, March 17th_

Lizzie was the first to wake up in the morning, feeling more refreshed than usual. Yesterday had been jam-packed with an ultrasound, surprises, and driving. She had been yawning by nine pm but trying to her hardest to conceal just how tired she was. Thankfully, once jetlagged Jane decided to go to bed, it started a chain reaction of everybody retreating to their rooms. Lizzie happily slipped into bed just after 9:30, the earliest she had gone to bed all week.

William's arm was draped over her and she turned in his loose embrace to face him, being careful not to wake him. She loved waking up to him still asleep. He always looked a little younger and more relaxed, as if he didn't have a care in the world. His hair would be sticking up all over the place and he usually needed a shave but those aspects mixed with his minimal sleep wear of boxer-briefs, she couldn't help but think how sexy her husband looked in the morning.

Over the past few days, she noticed he had looked a little different. More content than usual and she had easily connected his happiness with the pregnancy.

Her mind wandered to five years ago today. She spent much of that day wringing her hands and trying to distract herself from what she believed was the truth, that she had lost her chance with William Darcy. There was going to be no return phone call and she had made a fool of herself in front of her viewers.

And then he was there, standing in front of her and erasing every doubt she had.

She never expected to be so happy and so fulfilled. She loved her husband with all of her heart and he made it effortless to keep falling in love with him every day. Things were never boring with him by her side and now, their lives were changing again with this baby. What a huge difference five years had made for the two of them.

She smiled to herself and let out a quiet breath. William began to stir after a moment and his eyelids fluttered before they slowly opened, revealing those beautiful blue eyes she'd never get tired of looking at.

"Morning," he said roughly, the gruffness of his voice stirring something in the pit of her belly.

"Morning."

"Staring at me now, are you?"

"I learned from the best," Lizzie said, repeating his words from yesterday. He smiled and pressed his hand on her back, pulling her towards him. She slipped one leg between his, aching to be even closer. She felt the heat coming off his bare chest in waves. She was always cold before they shared a bed. It was just another reason why they worked so well together.

"How are you feeling?"

"Well, it's my birthday so I'm feeling quite well today."

"It's your birthday?" William feigned shock and Lizzie lit up at his playfulness. How she ever thought he was dull, she would never know. "Since when?"

"I believe...thirty years ago on this date."

"I thought today was St. Patrick's Day."

"It _is_. It coincides."

"Is that the holiday where everybody wears green?" William asked with a twinkle in his eye.

Lizzie nodded. "And if you're not, you get pinched."

"Pinching is no fun for either party," William's gaze darted to her lips and all she wanted was for him to kiss her. "I'm sure we can think of something else."

"You have to check for green before you dole out punishment," Lizzie told him.

William was always a little quicker than her in the morning and today was no different. He pushed the sheets away and moved to straddle her, his knees touching the outside of her thighs. She was wearing an old black t-shirt of his that was bunched up enough to show a pair of blue cotton panties. It gave her time to appreciate the full view of her husband's body. Her eyes raked over his long, lean frame and she thanked the stars he liked keeping in shape. Whether it was from swimming, riding his bike, or even the occasional run, she appreciated it all. From his defined biceps to his powerful thighs, she felt like a very lucky woman. She wanted to run her fingernails down the ridges of his abs and follow the line of that V disappearing into his gray boxer-briefs with her tongue.

He grabbed the bottom hem of her shirt and slowly pushed it up, revealing more of her alabaster skin and toying with her further. She arched her back as his palms brushed against her nipples, sending a spark of pleasure straight to between her thighs. She wanted him to touch her again just like that but he didn't indulge her. He simply continued his torture of removing her shirt completely, making sure that she had no hidden green on. She laid back on the pillow as he tossed her shirt away, leaving her in only her pair of panties. He pressed his hands on either side of her head and bent down to hover over her, close enough that she could see his eyes growing darker with desire. His growing bulge had her licking her lips and squirming in anticipation, her mind already imagining how good he would feel once he was inside her.

"I see no green. What shall your penance be?"

"You're clearly wearing none either."

"Ah, an impasse. Whatever shall we do?" William asked, his voice dropping an octave. It was impossibly sexy when his voice got that low. Her body was heating up rapidly, more so than usual. It was helping a theory of hers that she was experiencing another symptom of pregnancy: heightened sensitivity. She felt stirrings of it yesterday but she had also factored in that it had been almost a week for them. She never had any complaints whenever she and William had sex but it was somehow even better when they abstained for longer than a couple days. Right now, she was more than a little thrilled to be putting her theory to the test.

"Give me a kiss," Lizzie said saucily.

He arched that infuriatingly sexy eyebrow at her and then his eyes darted to her mouth. He brought a hand to her face before he gently traced her lips with one finger, keeping his gaze on her. It made Lizzie shiver with anticipation and she tried to steady her breath, trying not to give herself away. William stopped after a moment, staring deep into her eyes. "Anything for you."

He bent down and brushed his lips across hers before he broke away, leaving her wanting more. She could feel his warm breath skating across her skin as he moved down her body. He was barely touching her on purpose, wanting to build up her need for him. She hated when he did this but loved it at the same time and he knew it. William sat up and gently patted her knees, silently telling her to move her legs. Her feet glided along the mattress until her legs were bent. He kissed her each knee before slipping her panties off. Then he spread her legs open wide, leaving her bare to him and his heated gaze. He looked as if he was ready to devour her. A little quirk of a smile played on his lips before he disappeared between her thighs.

He lifted her legs over his shoulders and gripped her hips, pulling her even closer to him. Lizzie moaned almost as soon as his mouth was on her. He slid his hands up her stomach to her breasts and cupped her gently, brushing his thumbs across her hardened nipples. Her hips jerked and her mind went blank. She could usually handle his teasing but every stroke of his tongue against her sex brought her closer to the verge of climax. She grabbed onto his hair with both hands and his teeth grazed her most sensitive spot, making her buck and gasp. She wasn't going to last much longer with the way his hands and lips were expertly playing her body. What he was doing was intense and wonderful and everything she wanted. She rocked her hips against his tongue and his lips, whimpering for release. And then finally, she was pushed into blissful territory, her orgasm spreading throughout her body and making her toes curl.

She took a few moments before she loosened the firm grip on his hair and brought one hand to her chest, feeling her heart beating erratically. William kissed his way up her body, his lips skimming across her skin until he came face to face with her. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him in closer. They both hesitated to close the gap, wanting to test each other to see who would break first.

Lizzie would.

The way her body was still thrumming from her first orgasm only made her want more, especially when she knew how good he would make her feel. She wanted him all. She pulled him down and kissed him fiercely, breaking the tension between them. He reached down with one hand and pushed at his boxer-briefs until he could kick them off, never breaking away from her. Finally, there were no more barriers between them. She reached down and wrapped her hand around him, pumping her hand a few times. A subtle smile grew on her lips as he groaned and she guided him to her entrance, still stroking him. He grabbed her wrist to stop her and maneuvered her arm over her head, slipping his fingers between hers as he stared at her, his eyes full of need. He was pressed against her and she was throbbing from the anticipation alone.

He finally pushed into her and her eyelids fluttered, gasping in pleasure as he filled her. She lifted her legs and wrapped them around him, bringing him even closer to her. He kissed her again and her lips parted before his tongue moved across hers in a natural rhythm. They moved in sync, their breaths mingling as their limbs became entangled with each other. Lizzie was having no trouble reaching the next level, easily feeling the stirrings of another orgasm building inside her. She rolled her hips with each stroke, moaning and aching for more of him. He was giving her his love now through the words he was whispering above her and the kisses he was peppering across her heated skin. Her breath hitched as his lips closed around one nipple, flicking her with the tip of his tongue. She could feel herself rushing towards the end as he continued to tease her, switching back and forth between each breast. It was suddenly more than she could handle and she arched her back as she climaxed, his name escaping her lips in a guttural groan. William's hips snapped as she clenched around him with his thrusts, each one more pronounced than the last. He wasn't far behind and he pressed his forehead to hers as he came, whispering her name so quietly that she barely caught it.

They lay there afterwards, catching their breath and holding onto each other.

He placed the softest kiss to her lips before he pulled out of her, moving onto his back and holding out his arm as she shifted, grabbing the twisted sheets and covering themselves. She rested her head on his shoulder and laid one leg over his. He looked to her and she flashed him a big smile, making him smile in return.

"Was that satisfactory for the birthday lady?" William asked in a playful tone and Lizzie nodded. Her theory was definitely proven. Her body was more sensitive but it was in her advantage, for sure.

"Very," Lizzie said happily. "It was good enough to cover both my birthday and our anniversary."

"It's our anniversary too? Oh dear."

Lizzie snorted at his words. He said it so straight-faced that if she didn't know him better, she would have figured he forgot. William would never forget anything.

"If you ever forgot our anniversary, I would be severely worried," Lizzie said after a few moments.

"Not angry?" William asked curiously.

Lizzie shook her head. "Just worried. This day means just as much to me as it does to you. I'm happy each time we celebrate it."

"I always look forward to it," William admitted with a content sigh. "And just think about this. Next year, we'll be celebrating with each other and—" He paused as he did the math in his head. "A four month-old."

"Wow. It's so weird to think that far ahead and realize it won't just be the two of us anymore. Everything in our future is going to be determined by our not-so-hypothetical child."

"Not-so-hypothetical child. Bit long for a nickname."

Lizzie swatted at his chest and chuckled. "You're silly."

"You're sillier."

"What a comeback, husband."

"I try my best, wife."

Lizzie shifted and kissed him softly on the lips.

"Would you like some breakfast? I'm sure someone is up by now," William said, glancing to their closed door.

"Food sounds pretty good right now," Lizzie replied. "You know, I keep expecting to wake up and immediately have to rush to the bathroom to throw up."

"Hopefully, you're one of the lucky ones who never have morning sickness."

"We'll just have to wait and see."

After phone calls from her parents and Gigi, a quick rinse in the shower together, and getting dressed, they ventured out to the kitchen. They found Jane and Brandon in the living room, talking on the couch. They exchanged morning greetings before they both wished her a happy birthday.

"Thank you, guys," Lizzie smiled. "Where's everybody else?"

"Charlotte's still asleep and Fitz and Sam went for a run," Brandon replied. "They should be back soon and then we can get started on breakfast."

"We could always start now and it'll ready by the time they get back," Lizzie pointed out. She was hungry, especially after working up an appetite in the bedroom.

"Actually, I've got a little something planned," Jane said brightly, typing on her phone. It was then that Lizzie noticed a laptop connected to the television and a wrapped present on the coffee table. William brushed his hand across the small of her back before he headed over to the computer to set things up.

"Are we calling the twins?" Lizzie asked. "Okay, that's enough to make me wait for food."

Bing, Scarlett, and Charlie were all displayed on the TV screen in moments once Lizzie and William joined Jane and Brandon on the couch. Lizzie could barely say hello before Scarlett and Charlie started singing her happy birthday, completely out of sync. She pressed her fingers to her mouth to stop from laughing but the sight before her eyes was more than amusing, especially when Scarlett started making up her own song. Bing tried to get them back in sync with the right words but failed, shrugging and letting them continue until they were done. Charlotte came shuffling in after a few minutes, most likely having woken up from the noise. Lizzie opened up their gift, which was a framed picture of her and the twins in front of the snowman they built at Christmas. They made a point to let her know that they picked both the frame and the picture. Too soon, it was time to say goodbye but she and William promised to call them again later.

"I can't believe how much bigger they look, Jane. We just saw them at Christmas," Brandon said, unplugging the computer.

"Don't remind me. Charlie has grown half an inch. He's officially taller than Scarlett," Jane replied, joining William in the kitchen.

"He's going to be tall like Bing, I'm sure," William said, looking for a pan to make pancakes.

"That's what Bing thinks," Jane said. There was a knock on the door before she could continue her thought and Brandon offered to get it.

"Fitz and Sam probably forgot their key," Brandon said, shaking his head.

It wasn't either of them when he opened the door. Lydia was standing on the other side with a big grin on her face. Before anybody could have reacted, there was a loud crash on the other side of the house. Fitz and Sam appeared outside on the deck, practically slamming into the glass. They slid it open and they were both huffing, Sam resting his hands on his hips and Fitz doubling over, trying to catch his breath.

"Damnit, Little B! You couldn't…have waited…two minutes!" Fitz gasped, still out of breath.

"You're just too slow, Fitz. Deal with it," Lydia retorted, giving a surprised Brandon a hug.

"What in the world is going on?" William asked as Lizzie and Charlotte jumped up from the couch, hurrying over to Lydia and giving her a hug.

"I thought you couldn't make it!" Lizzie said in surprise.

"Originally, I couldn't! Fitz texted me on Thursday night that Jane was definitely coming," Lydia grinned as her oldest sister walked over to her to greet her with a hug. "I practically begged the other ASMs to take my shift today. I'll have to work Saturdays for like…the next month but it was totes worth it to see all your reactions."

"Well, we're glad you could join us today," William smiled at her before glancing over at Fitz and Sam. "Are you two okay?"

"We…were trying…to get back here before…she got here," Fitz breathed, nodding in thanks when Brandon gave them both water. "She only texted me…" He held up four fingers to say that she let him know she was nearly there four minutes ago. Not enough time for him.

"You're still too slow," Sam chided before taking a big gulp of water, Charlotte and Lizzie snorting when they saw the playful look in his eyes. He wasn't nearly as out of breath as Fitz.

"Don't hit a man when he's down, dude," Fitz huffed.

"Okay boys. Don't make me separate you two," Brandon reprimanded.

"Yea. Not on our birthdays," Charlotte said. Sam came over and gave her a chaste kiss, careful not to let sweat drip on her. Lizzie and Jane went outside with Lydia to get her overnight bag and to show her around the house.

"You two should go shower. We've got things to do today and breakfast is going to be ready soon," William said.

"You got it, Darcy. Ten minutes."

Breakfast was enjoyed by everybody out on the deck. Jane started an orange juice birthday toast for Lizzie and Charlotte, making them laugh. Afterwards, they all got ready to go for the day and piled into two cars. William and Sam had planned to visit a few places in the area, making sure that the day would be relaxing but fun. They spent some time at the local Sea Glass Museum, which boasted having the world's largest sea glass exhibit. While most of the group ventured down to the sea glass beach, Lizzie and William stayed behind. He wanted her to pick a necklace made of sea glass and she was taking her time, trying to choose from three different shapes and colors. In the end, she chose a blue-green necklace that was loosely shaped like an L.

On the way to the Mendocino botanical gardens, they stopped at a place called Eggheads for lunch simply because Lizzie and Charlotte thought the name was funny, though the restaurant turned out to serve great food. Most of the afternoon was taken up at the botanical gardens where William had set up a personal tour. It ended up being a little slower than usual because the girls all wanted pictures together next to various plants. Near the end of the tour, Charlotte had snapped a particularly good shot of Lizzie and William walking behind the rest of the group, their hands clasped together and William kissing her temple.

When they returned back to the house, they wanted to relax. Their reservation wasn't for another two hours so they had some time to re-energize and get ready. Fitz and Brandon challenged Sam and William to a game of ping pong and the girls started a puzzle in the same room, getting more talking done than putting pieces together. Sam and William were surprisingly unbeatable which only made Fitz more competitive.

After the third game, William handed over his paddle to Lydia and headed outside to get some fresh air. Lizzie left the room a few minutes later, finding him leaning against the railing and watching the beginnings of a sunset.

"Hey you," Lizzie said softly. He turned his head to her and smiled, shifting his body to make room for her to join him. He put his arms on the outside of hers as they leaned on the railing, kissed her neck, and rested his chin on her shoulder. They chose to watch the setting sun in silence, enjoying each other's company. William began to press kisses along her shoulder and up her neck until he started nibbling on her earlobe. She angled her head towards him and he captured her lips, kissing her tenderly but passionately. She turned her body and pressed against his before she slid her arms around his torso, slipping them into the back pockets of his jeans as he cupped her face with his hands. There was no urgency between them but they couldn't seem to get enough of each other.

"It's been five years and you're still making out like it's the first night."

Lizzie and William hesitantly parted and she hid her face in his chest while he looked over his shoulder. Charlotte was standing there in the sliding door frame with her arms crossed and a smirk on her face.

"You're lucky it was me sent out here and not Fitz."

"Where is he?" William asked, checking behind her for any other witnesses.

"He's still pouting from losing another game," Charlotte replied before adding. "We're leaving in thirty minutes."

"Thank you." Lizzie peeked out from his arm, smiling sheepishly at Charlotte.

"Happy anniversary, by the way. It's nice to see you guys still so in love after five years together." Before they could respond, she turned and left, closing the door behind her.

Once everyone was ready for dinner, they headed to Mendo Bistro, a casual fine dining restaurant perfect for the evening. They were seated at a round table in the corner that was big enough for all eight of them and gave them a second-story view of the small town. Dinners and drinks were ordered and, as rehearsed, Lizzie said she was on antibiotics when Fitz pointed out the lack of alcohol in her Shirley Temple. Everyone seemed to accept her excuse without question and William gently squeezed her thigh, both happy it hadn't turned into a big deal. The food was delicious and the conversation never stopped throughout the evening. When a round of birthday shots were ordered after dinner, she and the other designated drivers were given shots of pink lemonade. She and William exchanged amused looks before everybody downed their drinks.

"Everybody, listen up," Fitz clinked his wine glass. "I know there have been a billion toasts tonight but I'm about to make it a billion and one."

There was a bit of chuckling from the table before he continued.

"I've had the pleasure of knowing Lizzie and Charlotte for five plus years now and I can say with ease that I'm glad to be their friend. We've got two bad-ass women at this table and they deserve all the best and more. Here's to the birthday ladies of the evening!" Fitz toasted. Everybody shouted 'happy birthday' before clinking their glasses and drinking.

"And to Darcy and Lizzie. We all know what you two were doing five years ago tonight," Fitz said, laughing when Lizzie threw a napkin and Brandon elbowed him. "Seriously though, I'm happy for you both. Five years is an accomplishment but not many can show the kind of love you have for each other. You make it look effortless. Congratulations."

Everybody clinked their glasses once more while William kissed Lizzie before they mouthed 'I love you' to each other. The waitress returned soon after, asking if anybody wanted dessert but they declined. After the check was paid, they ventured across the street to the local famed ice cream store called Cowlicks, where all the ice cream was handmade in unique flavors with local ingredients. Lizzie liked it so much that William bought a few pints of different flavors, storing them in the freezer when they returned home.

While some of the group decided to watch a movie in the living room, Lizzie convinced William to go for a walk on the beach with her. With their hands clasped together and their feet bare, they strolled along the empty beach and watched the waves as they crash towards the sand. Every so often, Lizzie would bump their joined hands against his hip and she would see the corner of his mouth lift.

"What's on your mind?" Lizzie asked after bumping his hip for the umpteenth time.

"You should know that answer by now," William replied, looking at her tenderly.

"A little bit more specific, sir."

William took some time to form his words and Lizzie waited patiently, both of them stopping in their step.

"These past five years would have been nothing without you. I feel fortunate that you've been by my side for all of it. I get to wake up next to you and fall in love with you more every day." William stroked the inside of her wrist with his thumb while he talked and she pressed her lips together as her eyes watered. He must have noticed because he leaned forward and kissed each corner, smiling warmly as he pulled away and his voice became softer. "I'm couldn't be more proud to call you my wife and the future mother of our child."

Lizzie tried to swallow the lump in her throat. She let go of his hand and throw her arms around him, pulling him in for a hug. He wrapped his arms around her waist and they held each other for a long time. William always had a way with words, even if it was difficult for him to find them in the beginning. She felt as fortunate as he did to have him in her life. She shifted in his arms and kissed him, hoping he could feel the love she had for him. He squeezed her waist and she knew that he did. When they finally broke apart, he pressed his forehead to hers and she brushed her fingers across his cheek.

"I wouldn't trade a single moment with you for _anything_ ," Lizzie whispered. "I love calling you my husband and I'm so excited to see you as a father. I couldn't have a better partner than you. I love you and happy anniversary, William Darcy."

"Happy anniversary, Elizabeth Darcy," William replied proudly, kissing her once more.

* * *

 _Sunday, March 18th_

Jane had a flight at noon and Lydia needed to be back in time for work so she offered to give her a ride in the morning. William and the rest of the guys got up early Sunday morning to make breakfast for the girls, knowing it was the last thing everyone was able to do together. The sisters and Charlotte were all clearly touched at the gesture.

After breakfast, Lizzie helped Jane and Lydia pack up the car before they said their goodbyes. It was always hard to see Jane go, no matter how many times they called each other. What comforted Lizzie was that she knew she would see her again before the holidays. Her pregnancy assured her of it.

Sam and Charlotte were the next to head home when Sam got a call from a distressed patient. He really cared about his patients and gave them his number for emergencies. It was rare for one to call him so he knew it was important. They apologized about not being able to help with cleaning up the house before they were on their way.

William, Lizzie, Fitz and Brandon stayed behind to clean. Lizzie took care of the sheets on all the beds while the guys did the rest. By the time they were done, beds had been remade and the place looked spotless. William packed up the car, along with the new addition of a small cooler to keep the ice cream cold, and they were ready to go back home.

Soon after they started driving back, Lizzie fell asleep in the passenger seat.

The drive home was uneventful but it left him with plenty of time with his thoughts. He could barely believe it had been only a week ago that she told him she was pregnant. Only two days had passed since they saw the baby for the first time. Every time the thought of their baby popped into his head this weekend, he would smile to himself. He was surprised their friends weren't more suspicious of his behavior but they had all chalked it up to his and Lizzie's anniversary.

Lizzie finally woke up as he was pulling into the garage, looking a little bleary-eyed and disoriented.

"We're home already?" Lizzie asked, her voice still laced with sleep.

"We are. How was your nap?"

"I'm sorry I fell asleep on you." He pulled into his spot and turned off the car. They were able to get luggage and the rest of the things up to the apartment in one trip.

She yawned into the palm of her hand as he put away the ice cream and he saw it out of the corner of his eye. "Still tired?"

"Yes, which is ridiculous. You'd think the baby would be satisfied with a three-hour nap."

He looked at her with a sympathetic look and walked up to her. He pulled her in for a side hug, rubbing her arm and kissing her temple.

"Why don't you try and get more sleep until dinner? I'll put something together."

Lizzie pulled at her bottom lip as she contemplated the suggestion, a simple habit that he thought was inherently sexy and never got tired of seeing her do.

"I don't know. I could get some work done…" she trailed off, not even buying her own excuse.

"Don't guilt yourself out of something you obviously need. Let me take care of you," William said quietly.

Lizzie exhaled and nodded. He knew he swayed her with those last words and it helped him relax.

"You win. I'll take another nap."

"Thank you. I'll wake you up when dinner is ready."

"Can we have that ice cream for dinner?"

William hesitated before replying. "Is this more parental practice?"

"Maybe." Lizzie said, smiling a little.

"Are you craving it?"

"It's _so_ good."

"Then we'll have some," William answered before adding. "But if our child was asking, my answer would be no."

Lizzie's eyes twinkled at his words before she began to walk away, heading towards the bedroom. She turned her head back to him when she reached the hallway.

"I can clearly tell who's going to be the more fun parent."

She disappeared around the corner before he had time to respond, her sweet laughter ringing down the hall. His look of surprise slowly morphed into a smile.

They were going to raise a child together and there was nobody else in the world he wanted to do it with other than her. He had truly lucked out when he fell in love with her.

* * *

 _Notes:_

 _Hope you enjoyed this one! Thanks to Sarah, as always. I 3 her. Also, thanks to Maggie for essentially being my research assistant for this chapter. Everywhere they went, it's because she found it for me. You should see her emails, guys. Don't even get me started on her baby room research. It's so detailed. I love it._

 _Check out the official dizzieslearningcurveseries tumblr to see the place they stayed at!_


	9. The First Trimester

_Summary: Time is passing by quickly for Lizzie and William and they're slowly preparing themselves for the months ahead._

 _Notes: In honor of Sarah's birthday today, I give you all the gift of a new chapter!_

* * *

The rest of March passed by in a blur for Lizzie and William. On the weekends, they checked out a few apartment listings that Gigi expressed interest in. She would be returning home in the middle of April and was hoping to have a couple places narrowed down, if not one specific place ready for her to sign.

Lizzie and William made their first baby-related purchases together, while promising not to buy anything without the other until they found out the gender. It was just a couple baby books to read and a dry-erase board to stick to the fridge. William wanted to use it as a physical countdown to the baby's arrival, despite the app that told them the same thing. Until everybody knew about the baby, it was used for grocery lists and messages to each other.

They quickly fell into a routine over the next few weeks. When they would come home from work, they would have dinner, go on a walk around the neighborhood, take a shower when they returned, and then Lizzie would be asleep soon after that. She expressed her annoyance in her fatigue more than once and couldn't wait to get her energy levels back once the first trimester was over. She made a habit of noting any symptoms and changes in the baby app, even though she wasn't experiencing much of either – except for two days that felt like glimpses of how much worse it could be.

The first time was during her eighth week. William came home to a darkened apartment but knew Lizzie was there. Her car was in the garage and she had texted him that she left work early because she was feeling off. He had suspicions she wasn't giving him all the details so he wouldn't rush home, but he still left work an hour earlier than usual. Only the kitchen light was on when he came in and noticed the message he had written on the board had been erased, replaced with only a big sad face. His brows knit in worry and went in search for Lizzie, heading to the bedroom first. That's when he heard the sounds of heaving coming from their bathroom.

Lizzie was on her knees and hunched over, still in her work clothes and hugging the toilet. When he walked in, she barely turned to look at him, dropping her head to her arm with what little energy she had. Her face was pallid, and her hair was all over the place and sticking to her forehead. She looked miserable and William's heart dropped at seeing her in such a state. He grabbed a hair tie from the countertop and approached her, calmly and quietly pulling her hair out of her face and putting it into a ponytail. Then he sat next to her, stretched out his legs, and began rubbing her back as another wave of nausea hit her.

After what seemed like ages to William, she finally stopped and let out a pitiful whimper before wiping her mouth with some toilet paper and flushing. She slunk down to rest her head in his lap, curling her legs up and closing her eyes. He stroked her cheek, watching her as the color in her face slowly started to return and her breathing became less ragged. She took a shaky breath after a while and tilted her head up to look at him. He offered her a comforting smile.

"Baby doesn't like me today," Lizzie mumbled and his smile was wiped from his face, which was quickly replaced a look of sympathy.

"Impossible," William said softly. "You're having a bad day. When did you first feel sick?"

"After lunch," Lizzie said, briefly closing her eyes to steel herself. "Went out with a client."

"I'm sure the baby just didn't like what you ate," William offered. "What did you have?"

"A BLT. I didn't want to deal with the deli meat sandwiches and it sounded good to me."

"You've eaten tomatoes, bread, and lettuce enough these past few weeks to know they're not the culprit. I hate to say it, but I think you're going to have to eliminate bacon for a while," William concluded and Lizzie whimpered again. He wasn't sure if it was because she didn't feel well or that she couldn't eat it anymore. "You need to drink some water. I don't want you to get dehydrated. And I could make you some soup. It might help your stomach."

"I might throw it up." Lizzie shook her head.

"You might, but you still need to," William said sternly. "How are you feeling right now?"

"Like shit," Lizzie said bluntly and William held back a laugh out of surprise. He cleared his throat.

"I wish you told me earlier. I would have come home right away."

"You would have just watched me throw up more."

"I don't care and I don't mind. In sickness and in health," he reminded her, brushing a loose strand of hair away from her face. "Especially when you're pregnant." He saw a hint of a smile from her. "Here's what we're going to do. I'm going to help you into the shower and then I'm going to make you some soup. By the time you're done, we'll see what you can keep down."

"Can I negotiate?"

"I won't budge on the soup. Or the water."

"Boo," Lizzie whined half-heartedly.

"I know. I'm the worst."

William ended up joining Lizzie in the shower after he saw what little color she had drain from her face when he helped her up. He washed her hair and her body and she quietly thanked him for taking care of her. He could tell she was starting to feel better once they were dressed and settled on the couch. She had sips of water as they watched television and soon had the courage to try some soup that he made. While her stomach still felt sensitive, she was able to keep everything down, which relieved William. She almost felt normal by the time they made it to bed and confidently returned to work the next day, watching what she ate for the next couple days.

The second time was during her ninth week, a week before her next doctor appointment. He came home to a darkened apartment once more and found a trail of her things. Her bag had been left by the fridge, which must have been dropped when she hastily wrote 'ugh' on the board. Her shoes and jacket were in the hallway leading to their bedroom. He had found her in the dark, curled up on the bed, and covering her eyes with one hand. It turned out that she had developed a bad migraine over the course of the day and tried to work through it, which only made it worse. Her head was pounding, she felt nauseated, and was afraid she would throw up if she moved.

William took care of her, putting a cool cloth over her forehead and eyes, and covering her with a blanket. When he attempted to leave so she could get some rest, she feebly asked him to stay. He spent the rest of the evening by her side, getting her to drink a few sips of water every so often. It wasn't until she finally fell asleep that he felt some relief. He hated to see her suffer and knew that sleep would be the ultimate cure for her pain.

After taking a quick shower and making himself some dinner, he spent some time researching and reading articles about migraines during pregnancy. While he was hoping this would be a rare occurrence, he wanted to be prepared. He realized how late it was when his vision started to become blurry, so he put an end to his research and went to bed.

* * *

 _Monday, April 16th (10 weeks, 3 days)_

"Do you think I have too many questions?" Lizzie asked William.

"No," William said. "Only because they're the same questions I want to ask."

She smiled at his response. Lizzie and William were at the doctor's office for her ten week check-up, sitting in the waiting room.

"It's going to be fine," William assured her, slipping his hand into hers.

"I'm unnecessarily nervous," Lizzie confessed.

"Or antsy?" William offered.

"That's you because Gigi's coming home tomorrow." Lizzie nudged him.

"I'm more thrilled at that prospect. Why are you nervous?"

"I don't know," Lizzie shrugged before her eyes flitted to her stomach. "I want everything to be okay. I want to know that the baby is okay and that I'm being healthy enough. And…I want the doctor to like us."

"First of all, you're doing a wonderful job. You're staying active, you're watching what you eat, and you're taking your pre-natal vitamins," William said, putting a hand on her still-flat stomach. "I have no doubts that our baby is doing well. Secondly, I don't know who wouldn't like you. You're incredibly charismatic. You've won over people in an instant. Take me, for example. I was head over heels."

"And how will _you_ win her over?"

"Would a declaration be too soon?"

Lizzie chuckled. "Maybe a tiny bit."

"I could take the role of the well-informed and supportive husband."

"I'd go with that one. I like the sound of it."

A door opened and a nurse stepped out. "Elizabeth Darcy?"

The two of them stood up and the nurse smiled, motioning William to sit back down. "I just need blood pressure and weight. She'll be back in a minute."

Lizzie gave him a little wave and he sat back down, checking out the waiting room. There were only a few other patients taking up chairs. One woman was frowning at something on her phone and looked to be at least seven months pregnant. His mind drifted to how Lizzie would look that far along and he smiled at the thought. He was eager to see her stomach grow and her body go through the joys of pregnancy. A smile lingered on his face when Lizzie came back out and returned to her seat next to him.

"Everything good?"

"My blood pressure is 118 over 82 and I've gained two pounds in the last month," Lizzie said brightly.

"The rare time where it's okay to be happy about a weight gain," William mused.

"Yea, that's funny. I'm going to ask the doctor about it."

A few minutes later, they were being called again and brought into an exam room. Lizzie changed into a gown and sat on the examining table while William brought a chair over to be closer to her. They looked around the room, checking out the posters and the 3D models. There was a wall with pictures, too many to count, of all the babies their doctor had delivered over the years. Then with a quick knock at the door, it swung open and the doctor walked.

"Good morning, Elizabeth. My name is Dr. Elena Gates. I don't mind if you call me Elena. We'll be quite familiar with each other by the end of your pregnancy," she joked. She was a thin woman and no more than 5'7", wearing a brown sweater and jeans under her white coat. She wore glasses that brought out her blue eyes and had shoulder length light brown hair, with a few gray streaks throughout. She looked to be at least fifty years old and had a very friendly face.

"Good morning. Everybody calls me Lizzie and this is my husband, William," Lizzie said as she shook each other their hands.

"It's very nice to meet you both," Dr. Gates said, taking a seat in front of the computer but ignoring it. "I'm sure you have questions for me and I'll be happy to answer them, but I'd like to know a little about you before we get started. First-time parents?"

They both nodded and gave her a short history of the two of them, giving her a general idea of their medical history and an insight into their daily lives. The gesture quickly put Lizzie at ease and she knew immediately that they had made the right decision for their doctor. After a few minutes, Dr. Gates turned to the computer and went through her blood and urine test results, discussing everything in detail. Everything appeared to be right on track, which made Lizzie and William exchange a happy glance.

"Why don't you lie back for me?" Dr. Gates asked as she stood up and washed her hands. "How are you feeling?"

"A little tired, but that's been my normal response for the past month," Lizzie replied.

"Fatigue is quite common. You should be getting your energy back in the next couple weeks," Dr. Gates said. "Any other symptoms?"

"I had a pretty bad migraine last week and one day of nausea where we discovered the baby doesn't like bacon," Lizzie said, glancing to William.

"Her body is also more sensitive than usual," William added. Lizzie's lips parted in surprise. While she never told him outright, she realized he was bound to notice that he could bring her to climax with even more ease than usual. After all, they had been sleeping together for five years and they knew each other's bodies so well; of course he would notice.

"As in sore or tender?" Dr. Gates asked, wanting to clarify.

"Um…not really," Lizzie said, a twinge of color appearing on her cheeks.

"Ah, I understand. Some other patients who experience that side effect have called it a perk."

"It's definitely not something I would complain about," Lizzie said wryly.

Dr. Gates did a thorough examination of Lizzie, checking her thyroid and breasts before listening to her heart and lungs. She talked to both of them throughout the whole physical exam, answering a couple questions that William asked. Once she was finished with Lizzie's internal exam, she threw out her gloves and grabbed the handheld Doppler machine. She had Lizzie pull up her gown to her rib cage, covering her legs and lower extremities with a sheet.

"I apologize if this is a little cold." Dr. Gates grabbed a small tube of gel and squirted it onto Lizzie's stomach before pressing the Doppler radar to her skin. They could hear the sound of whooshing as she slowly moved it around. "Have you two discussed whether you would like to do a nuchal translucency scan?"

"That's to test for Down's syndrome, right? As well as other possible abnormalities?" Lizzie asked. She looked at William and he was transfixed on Dr. Gate as she moved the wand slowly along her stomach.

 _Ba dum. Ba dum._

"Yes, it is. It can only be performed between eleven and fourteen weeks. It's not a mandatory scan but I recommend them for all my patients. It puts them at ease."

 _Ba dum. Ba dum. Ba dum. Ba dum_

"We definitely want to it done," Lizzie said slowly as she listened closely to the Doppler at the same time. "We've…actually talked about it in…detail."

 _Ba dum. Ba dum. Ba dum Ba dum. Ba dum. Ba dum. Ba dum._

"Is that…" William paused and visibly swallowed, bringing his gaze to Lizzie. They both realized what it was and his eyes started to well up. She had seen the same look from him when they saw the baby for the first time at her first ultrasound. She loved him for not trying to hide his emotions, but it was making her want to cry too. She brought a hand up to her eyes and discreetly wiped away a tear. "That's the heartbeat?"

"It is. The first sound was blood flowing through your placenta and the rapid beating is your baby," Dr. Gates confirmed, pressing down more to get a better reading. It came through even clearer and William broke into a big smile.

"That's incredible," William breathed and Lizzie grabbed his hand.

"You're welcome to record it."

"Will," Lizzie urgently whispered and he quickly pulled out his phone, setting it up and bringing it closer to her stomach. Dr. Gates turned the volume up and the heartbeat filled the room. It was a sound like no other and Lizzie could hardly believe it was real. They were both so affected and she was so happy he was here to share this moment with her. He leaned over and kissed her temple, whispering that he loved her as he recorded the heartbeat for a moment more. She knew they were going to wear that recording out, just like they had been doing with the video he took at her ultrasound. She had lost track of the number of times she had already watched it. It made her happy to see the proof and this was another amazing moment, telling her that she was really pregnant and going to have a baby.

"The heartbeat is 164," Dr. Gates read off the Doppler.

"And that's good?" William asked, putting his phone away.

"Yes. Very strong," she said as she removed the wand and wiped the remaining gel off Lizzie's stomach. "At ten weeks, the heart rate should be between 120 and 190 beats per minute."

"That seems so fast," Lizzie remarked, sitting up and adjusting her gown.

"It does, but it's because of their size. Your baby's only about the size of a kumquat and weighs less than a quarter of an ounce," Dr. Gates told them before grabbing a thick packet on the table. She handed it to William and he began to flip through it. "This packet should be very helpful for you. There are week-to-week updates on the baby's development as well as what may be changing for you, Lizzie. There's information for the father-to-be, William. You'll also be able to determine what kind of birth plan you'd like and what doctor appointments you'll be needing to make over the coming months. I know it's a lot of information right now but I always believe it's better to be over-prepared than anything else."

Lizzie smiled at William. "We tend to research a lot."

"Of course," Dr. Gates took a seat. "Now, I'm sure you have questions?"

"I do," Lizzie nodded. "I was wondering what the typical weight gain was for pregnancy? I want to make that I'm eating enough but not gaining too much."

"For someone your size and with your BMI, I would say between 25 to 35 pounds. Within the first trimester, you'll typically gain up to five pounds so you're on track with your two pound gain," Dr. Gate answered.

"What about diet? Any restrictions or limitations she should be adhering to?" William asked.

"I'm sure with your research, you've learned that you need to avoid raw seafood and undercooked beef?" Lizzie and William nodded in unison. "You hear the typical saying that you're eating for two now but that doesn't necessarily mean you should be eating twice as much. An extra 300 to 350 calories a day is what I would recommend. Foods rich in calcium, vitamin C, and protein since the baby needs plenty of it. You don't need to feel guilty if you find yourself eating an entire pint of ice cream in one sitting or anything though. It's perfectly fine to indulge on occasion. Don't ignore your cravings."

"I've barely had any yet," Lizzie said with a shrug. "What about exercise? Is there something you recommend? I'd like to stay active throughout my pregnancy."

"How active are you typically?"

"My job keeps me pretty busy but I usually make it to the gym a few times a week. We'll go on hikes on weekends sometimes. Lately, I've been too tired for either," Lizzie said with a sigh. "We've started going on walks when we get home from work."

"Sticking with a routine is good so I would keep up with those walks. There aren't many restrictions for exercise with a low-risk pregnancy so once your energy returns, you're welcome to do what you can. Listen to your body and know what you can handle," Dr. Gates said, taking a pamphlet from her drawer. "I know it's not for everyone, but I like to recommend prenatal yoga. You'll learn more about concentration and breathing techniques that will help you in labor. It strengthens your stomach and pelvic floor and relieves daily stress as well as any discomfort you may feel in later in your pregnancy."

"My sister and her husband tried that when she was pregnant," Lizzie said, taking the pamphlet and dropping her gaze to William. "It sounds really beneficial. What do you say?"

"Bing keeps telling me he loves it," William said with a shrug. "If you'd really like to try it, then I will too."

"Thank you." Lizzie squeezed his hand and smiled.

William and Lizzie asked a handful more questions and Dr. Gates was very patient, answering each of them thoroughly. Dr. Gates said goodbye to them, reminding them to make an appointment for their ultrasound and that she would see them again in a month. Lizzie started to get dressed and William excused himself from the room for a minute. She was ready to go by the time he returned.

"What did you forget?" Lizzie asked, grabbing her bag.

"Just another question and then I asked for her contact information for emergencies. I didn't see it in the packet," William replied, holding the door open for her.

"That would probably be a good thing to have."

"Especially once you're in your third trimester."

They checked out with the nurse and then scheduled the next doctor appointment as well as her NT ultrasound. Once they were done, they headed off to work with a kiss good-bye and plans to go out for dinner before returning home.

* * *

 _Saturday, April 21st (11 weeks, 1 day)_

Lizzie was relaxing in the living room and watching a movie after having enjoyed a short nap. She still felt sluggish but not as much as the beginning of the week, so she hoped it was a sign that she would be back to her more energetic self in no time.

William was out accompanying Gigi as she checked out two apartments that he and Lizzie had narrowed down from her selection. If all went well, she would put in an offer and be able to move in at the beginning of May. In the meantime, she was crashing with Lydia despite offers from both William and Fitz to stay with them.

William came back in the early afternoon, bringing in the mail that included a decent-sized package. Lizzie paused her movie and jumped up from the couch to greet him.

"Hello," Lizzie said happily as he gave her a kiss hello. "How was it?"

"It went quite well. I'll let her tell you about it at dinner tonight," William replied, putting down the package and sorting through the mail. "How was your nap?"

"It was refreshing. I can't wait until I don't feel tired an hour after getting up," Lizzie said before tapping the box. "What is this?"

"It's nothing." William said, avoiding eye contact.

"It's obviously something, Will." Lizzie crossed her arms and stared him down. "Is it baby-related? We promised no purchases until we know the gender."

"You're surprisingly intimidating when you do that," William noted. She pursed her lips but said nothing, staring and waiting for him to tell her. "Alright, fine. I bought something for the baby. I couldn't resist though."

"I've seen plenty of things I want to buy, but I've been able to resist," Lizzie pointed out as he grabbed scissors.

"Here's the thing. It's for the baby, but it's not _for_ the baby," William explained as he started opening the box. "It's more for us."

"What does that mean?" Lizzie tilted her head.

"Well…" William trailed off as he emptied the package of excess shipping paper. He took out a three-pack of ultrasound gel bottles and put it down on the counter before he pulled out a smaller box and held it out for her.

Lizzie's face softened at the realization of what she was holding. "You bought a fetal Doppler?"

"I did. I asked Dr. Gates for recommendations on the best ones and she said Sonoline is the brand she uses. It's more sensitive and picks up the heartbeat better than some others out there. Now we can listen to the baby's heartbeat whenever we want," William said cautiously, watching her reaction. Her shoulders relaxed and she looked up to him, her face reading that was clearly touched by his gesture. "Am I still in trouble?"

Lizzie shook her head and put the box down before wrapping her arms around him and bringing him in for a hug. "Thank you."

"It was my pleasure," William said softly, pressing his lips to her shoulder before she pulled away to look at him. "I thought it might help you…or both of us, really…when you're nervous and we don't have an appointment for a couple weeks. I'm not getting rid of the recording, though. That's the first time we heard our baby and that's a moment I'm going to always cherish."

"Especially since we got to hear it together," Lizzie added. "I'm glad you bought this. It was a good decision. I'm sorry for getting upset."

"You had every right. I didn't consult with you," William said. "But I won't be doing it again in the future without your input."

"Thank you for being so considerate," Lizzie murmured, standing on her toes and kissing his cheek.

"Anything for you."

* * *

Lizzie and William were getting ready in the bathroom for the monthly dinner, which would be at Sam and Charlotte's place this time. She was fixing her hair while William was shaving sans shirt so as not to get anything on it.

"We're not telling anybody tonight, right?" William asked.

Lizzie paused in her movements. "No way! Did you want to?"

"Not particularly but almost everybody is there."

"With the exception of Lydia. If we told them tonight, all of my family would be out of the loop. I don't want them finding out the news secondhand."

"Good point," William said, washing the shaving cream off his razor and wiping the excess cream from his face with a towel.

"I'd like to think we can be a little creative in our announcement too. They deserve more than a simple 'I'm pregnant'." Lizzie waved her hands around for dramatic flair.

"I would have been just as thrilled if you told me like that, but I get it. We'll have to think of something good."

"Whatever it is, I'd like to wait until after my next ultrasound."

William moved right behind her and put his hand on her waist before bending down and kissing the crook of her shoulder. "More time for just you and me? That sounds ideal."

"It does," Lizzie brightened, glancing back at him. He kissed her lightly on the lips and smiled at her when he pulled away. She noticed a little shaving cream left over just below his ear and turned in his arms to wipe it off. "Missed a spot."

"Anywhere else?" William asked. Lizzie gradually traced a finger along his jawline, keeping her gaze locked with his. Shivers ran down her spine as she noticed his eyes began to darken from her touch. He reached down and lifted her, putting her down on the bathroom counter so that they were eye level.

"All clean," Lizzie murmured, toying with her bottom lip as he stepped between her legs.

"Maybe you should be a little more thorough," William suggested heatedly. A smile tugged at the corners of Lizzie's lips and she brought a hand to the back of his neck, pulling him closer. Her cheek grazed across his newly smooth one and she felt the warm exhale of his breath skate past her ear. She nibbled on his earlobe for a moment before gliding her lips excruciatingly slowly down his jaw, leaving open-mouthed kisses on his skin. His natural smell was intoxicating and she gladly breathed him in, feeling parts of her body awaken with need. As she reached his chin, she took a little gentle nip and he gasped in surprise. Their eyes met but his face was unreadable. It wasn't until she noticed his gaze kept flickering to her mouth that she knew he was about to crack.

Quickly, he leaned forward and captured her lips in a heated kiss. She brushed her hand up his chest to around his neck and tightened her legs around him. He pulled her to the edge of the counter as her lips parted, moaning as his tongue moved across her own and along the roof of her mouth. She could easily lose track of time in these moments and be swayed by his kisses. His hands slid up the outside of her thighs and pushed up the fabric of her dress until her yellow cotton panties were exposed. He ran a finger along the band until he reached the middle and paused before moving down. His fingers skimmed along the apex of her thighs and she broke off the kiss with a gasp and a moan. He reached behind her and unzipped her dress before he lifted her off the counter and turned them towards the bedroom, his intentions obvious.

"We're going to be late," Lizzie said breathily, not caring in the slightest as he reached the bed.

"Who is ever on time anyway?" William smirked.

* * *

They were late.

William and Lizzie had made it out the door fifteen minutes later than planned only to return a few minutes later after realizing they forgot the dessert they intended to bring. They hurried along the street after wasting another ten minutes looking for a parking spot.

Of course Lizzie was still on a two-orgasm high, so she wasn't really worried about it. She was prepared for the possibility of teasing, especially when she had checked herself out in the rearview mirror and noticed a glow. More specifically, a sex glow.

"It could be a pregnancy glow," William offered.

"Yea, I don't think so," Lizzie laughed gently. "Thank you for trying."

"Either way, you're gorgeous," William said warmly, sliding an arm around the back of her waist and kissing the top of her head as they pressed the buzzer for Charlotte and Sam's apartment.

"Thank you." Lizzie smiled at him, giving him a quick kiss. The sound of a buzz filled the air and the door unlocked, giving them access inside. They headed towards the elevator and doors slid open without hesitation.

"Do we need to think of an excuse?" William asked as they stepped inside.

"They won't believe anything we try."

"We have such skeptical friends."

The short elevator ride brought them to the third floor and they went straight for the second door on the left, knocking lightly. They heard approaching footsteps and Charlotte answered, swinging the door open wide.

"They're alive, guys!" Charlotte shouted over her shoulder sarcastically. They smiled apologetically before simultaneously blurted out excuses.

"We couldn't find parking."

"We forgot the dessert and had to go back."

Charlotte gave them a disbelieving look before rolling her eyes. "Sure. Come on in. Everyone is already here. Sam just got dinner out of the oven a few minutes ago."

* * *

"I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm thrilled Gigi is finally home," Fitz said once dinner plates were cleared. Lizzie was in the kitchen helping Charlotte cut some cake and put scoops of ice cream on top of each slice. They were teased about their lateness but it wasn't as bad as she expected. As the girls came out to serve everyone, William jumped up to help and get the rest of the plates.

"I'm happy to be back. I missed these dinners!" Gigi said, thanking Lizzie when she handed her a plate. "I'm still trying to adjust back to this time, though. The break from work is helping."

"I told you," William said, returning with the last two plates. He put one down in front of Lizzie before taking his seat. "A little time off is good now and then. Especially when you're moving across continents."

"Says the man who rarely took any time off B.L.T."

"B.L.T.?" Sam asked in confusion.

"Before Lizzie Time!" Gigi said as if it were obvious.

"That's a new one if I ever heard one," Lizzie chuckled and shared a look with William.

"Lydia said it once and I thought it was funny." Gigi shrugged.

"Speaking of moving," Brandon prompted. "Have you found a place?"

"I have! William and Lizzie graciously lent their time to check out some apartments I really liked, so thank you both for that."

"It was a pleasure and pretty fun, actually," Lizzie admitted.

"Well, I adored the one that's five minutes away from you and William, but I fell in love with the apartment on Harrison as soon as I stepped in it. I put down an offer on the spot and they accepted within the hour!" Gigi said enthusiastically. Everyone talked at once.

"How exciting!"

"Nice location. I love the Mission district!"

"Congrats!"

"When are you moving in?"

"So, I'm going to be able to move in on May 1st. I'm going to need to buy a ton of new things but that's part of the fun of starting fresh."

"I'd be more than happy to go shopping with you," Lizzie offered.

"Me too," Charlotte piped up. "Half the furniture in this apartment is from estate sales, but I do enjoy shopping for other people."

"I like our furniture, babe," Sam said, a little sensitively. "It's more lived in."

"Hey, I'm not complaining. There's a reason we picked it. I like helping other people spend _their_ money."

Gigi laughed. "Deal. You'll have to show me your wedding pictures, though. I'm sad I missed it."

"We can show them to you now! Sam created a slideshow for you, just in case," Charlotte said.

"That's so thoughtful of you!" Gigi said to Sam. He smiled and shrugged in response.

"Change of location, then. Cake and pictures in the living room."

* * *

"I know I sound like a broken record but I'm really happy you're home now," Lizzie said to Gigi. They were sitting next to each other on the couch, leaning back with their heads tilted towards each other. Charlotte sat on the floor, controlling the laptop slideshow that was showing wedding pictures. William was deep in a conversation with Sam, Fitz, and Brandon. Lizzie was getting tired but she was trying to hang on as long as she could. She knew William was catching on because he would glance her way every so often to check on her.

"I'm really happy to be back. I feel like I've missed so much. Thanksgiving, Sam and Charlotte's _wedding,_ your birthday! I can't believe I missed the big celebration for your thirtieth birthdays," Gigi said wistfully.

"We made sure to take plenty of pictures for all of those events. But I know it sucks to not be somewhere you want to be."

"Thank you for that," Gigi said appreciatively. "Charlotte, you looked stunning. I can't believe you pulled that look off with so little time to prepare."

"It was a challenge, but I was happy with the end result," Charlotte said, glancing at them over her shoulder before turning back to the laptop.

"We're going to make sure to do something big for your thirtieth," Lizzie added. "Once we get there, that is."

"I was going to say." Gigi nudged her with her elbow. "In the meantime, we all need to go out and catch up. Talking on the phone all those months just wasn't the same."

"It's really not. I like talking to you when you're right next to me. You're so much more visually appealing than my phone."

Charlotte snorted. "That sounds like something William would say."

William glanced over at the sound of his name and he looked at Lizzie quizzically. She shook her head subtly to let him know it was nothing and she was still doing okay. Secretly, she was hoping that Gigi would start yawning and then they'd find their reason to break up the party.

"Five years together will do that to a person."

"When you start sounding like my brother, it's time for me to steal you away. A girl's night is mandatory now. I'm clearly the cooler one of the Darcy siblings."

"I love you both and you're each cool in your own way."

"How Switzerland of you," Charlotte chuckled.

Gigi turned to get William's attention. "Your wife refuses to pick favorites!"

"That's because I'm hers and she doesn't want to hurt your feelings by saying so," William said with a twinkle in his eye.

Lizzie brought a hand up and hid her smile behind her fingers as Gigi stuck her tongue out at him. William raised an eyebrow and gave her a distinctly older brother stare. "I know I raised you to have better manners than that, Georgiana."

Lizzie could clearly hear William saying the same thing to their own children and her stomach fluttered with delight at the thought.

"Blame it on my jet lag. I can't be held accountable when I'm tired."

There was their out. Lizzie knew it and she could see it in William's eyes that he figured it out as well. Surprisingly, it was Fitz that took the bait.

"Well, it is kind of late. I think we should call it a night," Fitz said, rubbing his hands together as he stood up.

"Already?" Charlotte asked in surprise. "It's barely nine."

"I think so. I'm surprised I didn't fall asleep on you guys!" Gigi said, scooting to the edge of the couch before getting up. The rest of the group followed suit and Lizzie sidled up next to William, resting her head on his shoulder as he put an arm around her. "Maybe we can have dinner at my place next month? I'll have to find a great table big enough to fit everyone."

"I'm sure you will. The place is spacious enough," William said before glancing to Lizzie. "And we'll host if you don't."

Everybody said their goodbyes and they were out the door, heading in different directions to their homes. Lizzie nearly fell asleep on the short drive but she managed to stay awake, listening to William as he recounted the conversations he had while she had been talking with Gigi. She felt a sense of relief once they made it home to their apartment. They both changed into pajamas, but only Lizzie went to bed immediately. William stayed up for another hour before feeling the overwhelming urge to join his wife. She was asleep when he got into bed, but still managed to gravitate towards him, letting out a soft sigh of content as his arms wrapped around her.

* * *

 _Friday, April 27th (12 weeks)_

William was in a closed-door meeting with Fitz and the board all day so he was unreachable. Things didn't wrap up until nearly six but everyone was antsy to get home. William went to his office to gather his things and checked his phone for the first time since he got to work that day. There were a few voicemails from clients but it was Lizzie's texts that caught his eye.

 _Lizzie 1:42 pm_

 _I am having a DAY!_

 _Lizzie 4:39 pm_

 _I probably won't be home until 8._

 _I'll let you know when I leave._

 _Lizzie 4:43 pm_

 _You're in charge of dinner._

 _I want something completely unhealthy._

William grimaced. Lizzie knew he was going to be out of touch today. Whatever was happening must have been bad if that was her request for dinner. There was no point in responding to her now, considering the timestamps. He knew what he needed to do to hopefully turn her day around when she came home and he would need to stop by the grocery store. He put on his jacket and grabbed his messenger bag, patting his pockets to make sure he had his keys before leaving.

* * *

 _Decent Enough Productions and Scholastic, Inc. announce Confessions of the Sullivan Sisters will be adapted into a web series._

William was reading off his phone in the kitchen when Lizzie finally came home just after eight. He met her halfway when she reached the end of the hallway. The look on her face was a mixture of frustration, sadness, and then relief. She dropped her bag with a sigh and walked right into his arms.

"Worst day," Lizzie mumbled as he rubbed her back.

"I saw the announcement. I could swear you weren't planning to do so for several weeks," William began. "So I'm going to draw my own conclusions and assume that is the source of your troubles today?"

"You'd assume right," Lizzie said with a heavy sigh. He steered her towards the kitchen and she sat down on the stool before he put a glass of apple juice in front of her, her drink of choice as of late. "You know Hannah?"

"The one you were so excited about hiring a few months ago?"

"Exactly. I had just put her on this Scholastic project because she showed a lot of potential from the smaller one we just finished. We were doing a Q&A on Twitter for fans and a few of them asked what her next project was. Before I could stop her, she gave out the title."

"Ouch." William leaned on the counter with his elbows, right across from her.

"Exactly. It blew up immediately and I had no time to stop it. She had just signed a non-disclosure agreement about the title no more than a _week_ ago!"

William knew how serious that was and was beginning to see why Lizzie had such a bad day.

"I spent half the day on the phone with Scholastic convincing them that what she did was an accident and not to take legal action. They finally agreed, but only under one condition."

"Oh no."

"I had to let her go," Lizzie said, pinching the bridge of her nose before she kept going. "It was clearly stated in the contract. She broke the contract, accidental or not, and I had to fire her."

"I know the feeling. I've had to do it on two different occasions. It's exceptionally difficult when that person has so much potential," William commiserated.

"She's lucky I convinced them not to sue her…or _us_ , for that matter," Lizzie said. "Hannah knew what was going to happen but I still took the time to explain everything to her. She apologized multiple times and was sobbing by the time I finally let her go."

"That sounds really rough, love. I'm sorry you had to deal with that," William said, reaching over and squeezing her hand.

"We weren't planning to announce anything until we had casting _set_. We had this whole day of goodies planned with announcing the book and then revealing characters every hour or so," Lizzie sighed again. "We're still seeing girls for the sisters."

"If it helps, the tweets I saw from the announcement were all positive."

"It does help and it's part of the reason why dealing with Scholastic wasn't as bad as it could have been," Lizzie said. "Once Hannah left, I did damage control with Scholastic so we could release an official announcement. We basically had to act like what Hannah did was intentional. Scholastic and I agreed to have anybody working on the project sign revised NDAs reflecting the incident today."

"And that brings you to…"

"Finally coming home and being very hungry," Lizzie said, taking in a whiff of air. "What smells so good?"

"That would be the pizza and breadsticks keeping warm in the oven," William replied.

"Did you really have time to make a pizza?" Lizzie glanced at the clock on the microwave.

"Oh no. I had it delivered from Pizza Orgasmica. Double pepperoni and double cheese," William said.

"Oh my god. That pizza is heavenly."

"I remembered how much you loved it the last time we went. You asked for something unhealthy and I figured you'd want it to be delicious as well."

"You have no idea how much I love you right now."

"Would it increase if I mentioned there are two pints of ice cream in the freezer with our names on them?"

"The word 'duh' comes to mind." William grabbed oven gloves and opened the oven door, pulling out the pizza and breadsticks while Lizzie took plates out from the cupboard. They served themselves, grabbed some extra napkins and headed to the couch to eat. She turned on the television and started a movie they had recorded from the night before.

Once they were done eating, William took their plates and put them in the dishwasher before returning to the couch. He patted his lap with his hand and she maneuvered herself, resting her feet on top of him. She moaned softly as he began to massage them.

"Thank you. I needed this," Lizzie smiled.

"The massage or the food?"

"All of it. Letting me vent, taking care of dinner, and taking care of me."

"It's no trouble. You know I'm more than happy to help."

"Well, it's the next best thing next to a vacation."

William chuckled. "We can arrange one, if you'd like."

"I can't leave right now. It's not great timing."

"I didn't mean right now. I meant a couple months down the line. Before you hit your third trimester and travel is harder for you."

"Oh! You mean like a…" Lizzie snapped her fingers, trying to remember the term. "A babymoon! I've read about those. Basically a honeymoon before the baby arrives."

"Exactly. You could pick the destination. Anywhere you want to go," William said. "We could even return to Fregate and recreate the mood of our first honeymoon."

"There's no way I'm traveling for a _day_ while I'm pregnant." Lizzie shook her head. "I do, however, love the sound of the second half."

"So we'll find paradise a shorter distance away."

"Yes, that would be fantastic."

"We have to decide where we'd like to go. Somewhere tropical? The beach? The mountains? The jungle?"

"I'm telling you right now. If this is our last big trip before Baby, I want to go somewhere beautiful and be as lazy as possible."

"I will happily be lazy with you."

"We'll do some research and find a place soon."

"Sounds like a plan."

Lizzie paused the movie before turning off the television, gently tossing the remote onto the coffee table.

"You don't want to watch it?"

"Not right now. I'd rather watch it this weekend when I can concentrate more."

"Okay. I have a different idea to help end this day on a better note." Lizzie tilted her head out of curiosity. "How about a warm bubble bath?"

Lizzie's shoulders visibly relaxed and she nodded.

"Yes, I'm definitely in need of that."

"And we can celebrate you reaching twelve weeks."

"Wow. I didn't even realize! I'm glad one of us is keeping track."

"You've had a long day." William reached over and put a hand on her stomach.

"I can't wait until I actually start showing."

"I'm very much looking forward to it."

William smiled at her and gave her feet one last squeeze before removing them from his lap and standing up. He offered her a hand and helped her up. He put an arm around her shoulder and they started to walk towards the bedroom.

"Did you know the baby is about the size of a passion fruit now?"

"Really?"

"Also, the fingernails and toenails are beginning to form."

Lizzie bumped his hip with hers. "Did you happen to memorize the facts for twelve weeks?"

"I'm a very proud father-to-be."

"I'm going to take that as a yes."

"It's a very big yes," William smiled.

"I'd love to hear more."

William kissed the top of her head. "I'd love to tell you."

* * *

 _Notes: Lizzie's already twelve weeks? I wonder what could be in store for her as her second trimester begins to approach. You'll just have to stay tuned!_

 _Thanks as always to Sarah for everything and a happy birthday to her!_

 _Also, Pizza Orgasmica is a very real place. I've been and they've got some delicious pizza. It amuses me more because it's on CLEMENT street. Get it? No? Okay, I'll be over here._


	10. Spreading the News

_Summary: Lizzie and William tell their closest family and friends the good news._

* * *

 _Notes: I'm sorry this took so long. June became busy for both me and Sarah and I was dealing with a bit of writer's block as well. The wait is no more! Happy 4th of July to my American readers!_

* * *

 _Thursday, May 3rd (12 weeks, 6 days)_

"This book is ridiculous." Lizzie tossed the pregnancy book onto the coffee table. After taking a long walk to and from dinner, she and William were spending the rest of their evening going through the pregnancy books they purchased. She was starting to realize the books they had bought were all less than helpful.

William sat on the opposite end of the couch, squeezing Lizzie's feet and half reading his own book. He glanced to the table to see which one it was before looking back to her.

"This one isn't much better," William said, lifting his book.

"Ugh. It's essentially telling me I should be nervous about _everything_ ," Lizzie scoffed. "And the author says 'down there.'" Lizzie pointed to her lap. "Multiple times. Is she eight? Why are you writing a book about pregnancy if you can't even use the proper terms?"

William cringed. "The expectant father section in that book and this one are rather condescending. There is an _actual_ section here advising me to not tell you that you may or may not look fat at any point in the pregnancy."

"You're lying!"

"I'm not." William flipped to the page and handed it to her, pointing out the paragraph. Lizzie couldn't help but laugh when she read it.

"You better not tell me I'm fat then."

William stared at her like she was crazy. "Elizabeth Darcy, what do you take me for?"

Before she could answer, he tugged on her leg and pulled her down the couch a fraction. She took the hint, tossed the book aside and moved over to him, climbing into his lap.

"One, I'm not an idiot. Despite what these books are trying to imply," William started, brushing his hands up to her thighs. "Two, I don't know what part of you thinks you might be. You're not even showing yet."

"But when I do…"

"Then you'll start looking pregnant." William moved a hand up to her waist and his fingertips brushed across a sliver of exposed skin. "And there will be a little more of you for me to love."

Lizzie smiled then leaned in and kissed him softly. William brought a hand up and pressed it to the back of her neck, taking control and teasing her bottom lip. He slid his other hand to her back and pulled her closer into his lap and he heard a soft noise come from the back of her throat. They finally broke apart and he brushed his thumb along her cheek as he gave her a warm look.

"We should ask for good pregnancy books at our next doctor appointment," Lizzie said.

"We can. There's also Jane and Bing once we tell them the good news."

Lizzie beamed at the thought. "As much as I love that we're the only two that know right now, I'm really looking forward to finally telling people."

"I am too."

"Do you like the plans?"

"I do. This way, none of our friends will give us a hard time about being the first to know," William said. "Are you sure Fran won't be suspicious of anything?"

"I sure hope not. I'll call my dad once I get to the post office so he can intercept the package, just in case."

"Good thinking."

"Want to make a bet on if Gigi will cry?" Lizzie teased and he chuckled.

"Lizzie, that's a sucker's bet. We both know she will."

"Still, it's going to be an interesting night."

"Yes, it will be." William glanced at the clock to see that it was nearly ten, well past Lizzie's usual bed time. "Do you want to go to bed? It's late for you. These books are giving us nothing and we've got your ultrasound appointment in the morning,"

"I'm…actually not that tired."

"Really?"

"Really," Lizzie assured. "I haven't felt as tired the last couple of days, which I've been looking forward to for the last…six weeks."

"I'm glad you're starting to feel better."

Lizzie rested her arms on his shoulders and began to play with the hair at the nape of his neck. "So I think I'll feel even better just as I'm hitting my second trimester, which is apparently the best trimester. At least from what I've read online."

"You still have a long day tomorrow. Are you sure you don't want to go to bed?"

"Maybe if you tuck me in," Lizzie waggled her eyebrows. She watched him closely as he contemplated his reply. There was desire apparent in his eyes and his grip on her waist got a little tighter. She was caught off guard when he slid her off his lap but acted quickly to stand in front of him between his legs.

"I'm giving you a head start."

Lizzie lit up with delight and grinned before turning to go. He lightly smacked her butt and she gasped out of shock before laughing as she scurried out of his grasp. She looked over her shoulder just before she was turning the corner and saw him standing up from the couch with a playful expression all over his face, ready to go after her. That playful expression which guaranteed her a great night of passion and pleasure.

She couldn't wait.

* * *

 _Friday, May 4th (13 weeks)_

Lizzie had scheduled her NT scan for the middle of the day. She told Katie she'd be gone for a couple hours with excuses of lunch and running errands. She didn't know why she felt the need to make up a lie but she wasn't quite ready for anybody to know. Things would change after next week though.

She sat in the waiting room after checking in, waiting for William to arrive. He was planning to meet her there but had been stuck in a meeting that ran longer than he intended. She was called in to take her blood pressure and weight and was nervous he wasn't going to make it. As she was sent back to the waiting room, she saw him at the desk and she felt relief flood through her body. He thanked the woman at the desk and joined Lizzie, giving her a kiss hello.

"I'm sorry I'm late," William apologized.

"It's okay. They were just taking my vitals. The room should be ready in a minute," Lizzie said, guiding them to some empty chairs.

"I was really worried I was going to miss it. I couldn't get the meeting to end quickly enough. I'm sure Fitz is a little suspicious."

"Oh well. If he asks, I'm sure you'll think of a great excuse," Lizzie said.

"You said they took your vitals?"

"Yep. Blood pressure is great and I've gained another half a pound." Lizzie looked down at herself. "I don't know _where_ that half a pound is though."

"This is what the book was talking about. It's a test? It must be." William cleared his throat before lowering it half an octave. "You're not fat, love. I swear."

Lizzie laughed and shoved him in his seat, earning a couple of strange looks from others in the waiting room.

"That's not what I meant. It's probably some of the water I drank for this."

William teased her for a little longer before Lizzie's name was called and they were taken to a room. She sat on the edge of the examining table and he took the chair closest to her as they waited for their technician. It wasn't more than a minute before a plump older woman with curly black hair walked in, introducing herself as Polly. Lizzie and William talked to her for a few minutes, asking for permission for the session to be recorded on DVD. Once she popped the disc into the computer, she moved the examining table before Lizzie laid back and adjusted her clothing to prepare for the ultrasound.

"How long does this normally take?" Lizzie asked.

"About thirty to forty minutes, depending on how your baby is cooperating," Polly informed, grabbing a tube of gel from the warming station.

"I hope the baby is cooperating then," William chuckled, getting a little smile from Lizzie. He took her hand as Polly squirted gel onto her stomach.

"Woah, that's warm," Lizzie gasped in surprise. "I was expecting it to be cold like last time."

"I always warm my gel. It's more comfortable for the patient," Polly said, grabbing the ultrasound probe.

"I certainly appreciate it."

Polly pressed the probe to Lizzie's stomach and moved it around, setting up the monitor and clicking away at her keyboard. After a few moments, they caught a glimpse of their baby on the monitor and Lizzie squeezed William's hand. With a touch of a few buttons, the screen zoomed in and everything became larger.

"There we are," Polly said, mostly to herself. She immediately began taking measurements of the baby as she moved the probe a fraction.

"That's amazing," William said softly.

"Baby actually looks like a baby," Lizzie added, bringing her free hand to her mouth.

"When was your last ultrasound?"

"I was only six weeks, so it was more of a blob."

"There's a lot of development between then and now, as you can see," Polly said and she began to point to the screen and move the probe slightly. "Baby is in a good position right now. There's the head and you can see the nose."

William leaned forward a little. "And the lips."

"Oh, you can! This is so cool."

"Yes," Polly nodded. "Also, the eyes are moving into position. You're getting a nice profile right now." She went quiet as she took a number of measurements of the head and neck and Lizzie and William looked on. Lizzie couldn't get over how incredible it was to see their baby on that monitor. It was hard to fathom that what was on that screen was happening inside her. Even after their appointments over the last month and a half, she was falling in love all over again and her heart was bursting with love for this tiny baby. She could only imagine that William felt the same way, especially with that wonderful awestruck expression he was wearing. It was getting harder for her to hold back tears.

"You can see one arm," William breathed. Polly held the probe still and all three of them watched as one arm moved across the screen.

"It's like they're waving at us, saying hello," Lizzie said thickly, looking at her husband. He caught her gaze and gave the sweetest smile before kissing her temple. "Look at those tiny fingers."

"One, two," William counted to himself for a moment. "I see all five."

"Thank goodness for that," Lizzie chuckled. Polly moved the probe around a little more to show them the bottom of the feet, where William happily counted the toes. She managed to get a great full view of the baby and, as she continued measurements, she printed out a few pictures for them before continuing. Lizzie and William talked quietly to each other, watching the screen and makes guesses at what they saw on the screen. Polly measured the heartbeat and she turned up the sound so they could hear it loud and clear. Even though they had been listening to the heartbeat at home since William bought their personal Doppler, Lizzie thought she would never get tired of listening to that beautiful rhythm.

Polly kept on with the appointment, getting everything done that she needed to do. She wasn't very talkative for much of it, but Lizzie and William created their own happy commentary. Near the end of the ultrasound, the baby began to bounce in a quick rhythm.

"Looks like the baby has hiccups," Polly said.

"This early?"

"The lungs are starting to develop. Babies can get hiccups pretty often in the womb. It's normal," Polly replied. "You won't be able to feel them until later."

"That's remarkable," William said, staring at the monitor and watching as their baby kept hiccuping and bouncing up and down. "Is it possible to tell the sex at this point?"

"My equipment isn't sensitive enough to get a proper reading," Polly answered. "You should be able to find out at your twenty-week ultrasound."

Polly wrapped the appointment up and printed out a few more pictures for them before giving them their recorded DVD. She reminded them that they wouldn't be finding out the results until their doctor's appointment, which was in two weeks. She dismissed herself and Lizzie hurried into the small bathroom to empty her full bladder.

William waited patiently for Lizzie, holding onto the sonogram pictures until she came out. He looked down at them and sighed, breaking out into a smile. The baby had developed so much in such a short amount of time and his love increased tenfold from every glimpse that he saw and every heartbeat he heard. It was nothing short of magical to him.

"Ready?"

William looked up and his smile grew at the sight of his wife before him.

"I am."

* * *

"Lizzie?" William called out as he walked into the bedroom. They had finished dinner a little while ago and he offered to put everything away while Lizzie went to get changed. He had cleaned up, put away the dishes, and set up a movie but Lizzie still hadn't returned and he was starting to get a little worried. When he walked into their bedroom, he noticed the light was on in the bathroom and hoped he wouldn't find her hunched over the toilet.

"Lizzie? Everything okay?" William asked, glancing into the bathroom. He found her standing sideways in front of the mirror with her shirt bunched up to her ribcage. She turned her head at the sound of her name being called and her cheeks reddened when she saw him. He leaned against the doorframe and crossed his arms across his chest. "What are you doing?"

"I was changing and I got a notification from the baby app," Lizzie said, pointing to her phone on the counter. "It was telling me how big the baby is now that I'm thirteen weeks. Even after the ultrasound and seeing the baby today, it's so much to process. He or she is the size of a lemon and they're forming _teeth_ already."

"And they already have fingerprints."

One corner of her mouth lifted. "You read it too."

"I did," William nodded. He sauntered over to her and brought his hands to her hips, bending down and kissing her shoulder. Lizzie brought a hand up and rested it on her stomach.

"So much is happening. Our baby is growing in here. Our baby can _move_ ," Lizzie said softly. "I'm just, you know, trying to see any changes in the mirror."

William studied their reflection in the mirror for a few moments and he covered her hand with his.

"Have you noticed anything?" William placed another kiss to her skin.

"Nada," Lizzie shook her head and pulled down her shirt. "I feel pregnant though. Isn't that what's most important?" William gave her an encouraging smile. "It feels very real."

"How so?"

"Seeing the baby at our first ultrasound? That was real. That was physical proof. Hearing the heartbeat? Real. Every single time we listen," Lizzie's voice was shaky. She noticed she was doing it more and more lately but continued. "And the ultrasound today? When the baby had hiccups and waved their arm around?"

"Real," William finished.

They stood there for a while before William slid his arms around her waist and she leaned into him. Lizzie decided to lighten the contemplative mood they found themselves in.

"That's a good-looking couple," Lizzie said playfully, referring to their reflections. William's lips twitched up and hummed in agreement. "What do you think they're thinking?"

"Probably that they're going to be some good-looking parents."

"Obviously," Lizzie laughed, turning around. She raised her arms and put them on his shoulders. "Are they happy?"

William kissed her forehead. "Very."

* * *

 _Saturday, May 12th (14 weeks, 1 day)_

Gigi's initial date to move into her apartment was delayed by paperwork so she wasn't able to move into her place until after the first weekend of May. Despite getting help from family and friends, she wasn't ready for guests. Lizzie and William were more than happy to host and take the opportunity to tell everyone their news. Lizzie was especially happy because Lydia finally had a Saturday off and was coming for dinner so they'd be able to tell one of her sisters the news in person. They wouldn't be telling Jane and Bing or her parents until the next day.

"When are they coming again?" Lizzie asked while they were making dinner.

"Within the hour," William said, glancing to her. He could tell she was antsy because it was the third time she asked in five minutes. He put the knife down and, resting his hands on her shoulders, turned her to face him. "Take a breath, love."

"I'm nervous," Lizzie admitted, clasping her hands together to stop from fidgeting.

"I can tell," William said. "Were you like this before you told me?"

"Worse. Maybe I was better at hiding it?"

"Or I was too tired to notice."

"Probably. I felt like I was going to throw up before you opened that fortune," Lizzie said. William gently squeezed her shoulders and looked at her reassuringly.

"We're telling family and our closest friends. You _know_ they're going to be thrilled for us. I can almost certainly guarantee tears."

Lizzie laughed. "Gigi."

"Probably some screaming too."

"Also Gigi."

"My sister is predictable, to say the least."

"You know the kind of nervous you felt when you were a kid? Like when it was Christmas Eve and you couldn't sleep? Or on your birthday and you were anxious what your presents were?"

"That's a good type of nervous."

"It is," Lizzie said. "And I'm also thinking about how our bubble is about to disappear."

"I don't think it's going to disappear. We're letting more people into it. We still have more milestones to experience, remember?"

"Thank you for being the logical one right now."

"Any time." William squeezed her hand.

* * *

Lizzie and William had agreed they were going to wait until after dinner and dessert to make their announcement so when dinner plates were starting to be cleared away, her nervous excitement returned. As a few of the guys cleared the table, Lizzie led the rest of the group to the living room and Lydia hurried to sit next to Lizzie after she put the brownies and cookies on the coffee table.

"What's up, sis?" Lizzie asked when she sat down. She could tell her sister was in a good mood. Lydia had arrived practically bouncing with dessert in hand but wasn't telling anyone why. There was a sparkle in her eyes and she was even more vibrant than usual.

"I wanna tell you something but I don't want you to tease me," Lydia replied.

Lizzie sat up straighter. She had an idea but she wasn't going to pass up the opportunity to give her sister a hard time about it.

"Really? You tease me and William all the time. Besides, it's practically what siblings do best!"

"Keep it to a minimum, at least?"

"I'll try my best."

"Okay so…I may have a date soon."

Lizzie slapped her hand down on Lydia's thigh out of excitement. "With Adam?"

Lydia broke out into a grin. "Yea."

"Wait," Gigi scooted closer to Lydia. "Is this the Adam from Lizzie's _Romeo and Juliet_? The one who's in that Poe musical at your theater?"

Lizzie and Lydia turned to her and Lydia nodded.

"He's a cutie, Lyds! What took him so long?" Gigi asked.

"Actually, it was me who took so long. He's asked a couple times. We've gone out together for group things but I've turned down the solo ones," Lydia said. "I've only been in this new position for a few months and I don't want to mess anything up, you know?"

"Good girl," Lizzie said proudly.

"Anyway, _Nevermore_ is finishing up in June—"

"No, that sucks!" Lizzie interrupted. "It's so entertaining."

"It's a good thing, actually. It's going on tour! Adam has another theater job lined up here that's more long term, so he's not going," Lydia said. "Plus, the summer series is starting so you might finally have a chance to see _Hamilton_. No guarantees though since it's still crazy popular. I can definitely get you in for _The King and I_ and _The Lion King_."

"Deal. William would love to see those."

"So because he won't be working at the theater anymore, I gave him a tentative yes," Lydia said. "Once _Nevermore_ is over, we'll go out. I totes remain professional that way!"

"Why are we needing to remain professional?" Charlotte asked, reaching for a brownie. Lizzie glanced back and saw that the dining room table had been cleared. William walked up behind her and gave her shoulders a squeeze. She glanced up and smiled at him before getting up and giving her seat to Charlotte.

"Lydia has a date," Gigi answered for her.

"Ooh, is it with that brooding theater hottie?" Fitz asked and Lydia blushed. Lizzie joined William's side, taking a back seat as Lydia told the story all over again to the ones who had just joined. Lizzie left the room to get herself something to drink and William followed. Brandon was putting the last dish away and she thanked him before he went to join the others.

"How are you doing?" William asked quietly, watching her as she filled her glass with ice and water.

"Fine. Thirsty," Lizzie joked, taking a sip. William glanced over to the living room at the sound of Gigi's laugh.

"I'm thinking it's a good time now."

"Yea, it is," Lizzie agreed.

"Okay," William said, leaning forward and kissing her temple. "I'll be right back."

Lizzie walked back into the living room as William quietly slipped out of the room to his office.

"Hey, Lizzie," Fitz called to get her attention. "Saw your Scholastic announcement! Exciting stuff. I haven't read a YA book in forever but I think I'm gonna have to now."

"You're missing out, Fitz!" Gigi said. " _The Sullivan Sisters_ is so juicy. I'm interested to see what you'll do with it, Lizzie."

"You could read it before and spoil yourself or read it after and imagine it with my cast."

"Is it going to be a faithful adaptation or are you going to twist it around?" Charlotte asked.

Lizzie raised her brow. "How do you think I'm going to answer that?"

"I'm going to guess it's faithful, babe," Sam piped up, putting an arm over her shoulder. "Considering Scholastic is using her skills to garner teen interest in these books."

"You married a smart man, Charlotte," Lizzie said.

"It helps he's got looks too," Charlotte grinned.

"How are you doing with the casting?" Brandon asked.

"It's…interesting. I'm trying to cast eighteen and above so I won't have to deal with filming restrictions, but I need to make sure that they look young enough _and_ could realistically look like sisters," Lizzie said, noticing William walk back in out of the corner of her eye. Perfect timing. She could use this opportunity to set everything up and William was going to help her. "But, it has inspired me for another project."

"Really? Is it one that we get to know more about?" Charlotte asked.

"Actually, yes." Lizzie's heart began to race as she looked at her husband, spotting the DVD in hand. He gave her a tender look and it was the silent encouragement she needed. "So, the idea for this project was originally conceived around November but it's only been in development for about three months or so. It needs at least five or six months of gestation before it makes its debut."

She could hear a snort from William and she didn't dare look at him or she would break. She hadn't told him exactly what she was planning to say.

"I haven't told you guys about this project yet because it's pretty close to my heart. I've been putting a lot of myself into this," Lizzie continued. "And, really, it would be nothing if William hadn't provided his own input."

A slightly louder snort beside her before he masked it up with a cough, covering his mouth and trying to remain composed.

"So, there's not a _lot_ to show you right now but I wanted you all to be the first to see what I've been working on. This mostly has some auditions, some clips, and a rough trailer for things to come." Lizzie said as William set up the DVD. Lizzie wasn't lying about what was on the disc. She had taken audition tapes and deleted clips from old projects and edited it with footage of their ultrasound, which was going to be the last thing they saw.

"Is this the project that's been tiring you out?" Fitz asked.

"Partially," Lizzie replied, trying not to break out into a smile. "I can put more of the blame on my bigger projects and the back-to-back business trips."

"It's ready," William announced, holding the remote in his hand as he came up to Lizzie's side again.

"Perfect. Okay, try and save your comments and critiques until afterwards."

Everybody nodded and William finally pressed play. The DVD was two minutes and forty seconds of fake-out footage but Lizzie couldn't even watch any of those seconds. She snaked her way into William's side and he put an arm around her waist, bringing his gaze from the TV to her. From this close proximity, she could feel William's rapid heartbeat that seemed nearly as quick as hers. She was surprised. He looked so calm on the outside yet he was evidently just as nervous as her. He smiled and subtly shrugged his shoulders to tell her that it was impossible not to get caught up in the anticipation.

She kept her ears open, listening for the cue in the video where it would switch to their ultrasound. There was the sound of two guys laughing and there was one minute left. A groan of frustration and there were thirty seconds left. The swell of people singing in the background and she closed her eyes, swallowing visibly and swearing her heart was back in her throat. Ten seconds left.

Then the distinct sound of their baby's heartbeat flowed through the speakers, simultaneously calming her nerves and telling her that the ultrasound was on display for all of them to see. Lizzie and William quickly looked to their friends and family to watch their reactions, but they all looked frozen in their place.

The silence stretched out for a few moments and then the room bursted with noise. Everybody leapt from their seats and started shouting at once.

"You're having a baby!"

"Lizzie, you're pregnant?!"

"Holy crap!"

Lizzie and William could only nod, completely overwhelmed by their reactions.

Gigi was squealing with excitement and jumping up and down in her place and her eyes were already glistening. Fitz and Brandon rushed towards William and Lizzie, Fitz grabbing him in a hug. William laughed in surprise as Fitz lifted him an inch off the ground.

"Darcy! I can't believe it!" Fitz shouted, clapping him hard on the back.

"Congratulations, Lizzie!" Brandon hugged Lizzie. "This is amazing."

Lizzie thanked him before she was swooped in for another hug by Fitz, Charlotte and then Sam. Lydia was surprisingly subdued but clearly happy as she tightly hugged her sister, congratulating her.

"YOU'RE HAVING A BABY!" Gigi screamed louder than before, staring at the ultrasound that was still playing on the screen. She said it a few more times before the tears began to stream down her cheeks and repeated it through her sobs. Lizzie and William exchanged slightly worried glances before he hurried over to his sister. He pulled her in for a hug and rubbed her back to calm her down until her tears slowed.

"Better?" William asked gently, daring a glance at his sister.

"You're having a baby," Gigi said hoarsely, waving her hand near her face as if it would help stop her tears.

William smiled brightly at her and he could feel the familiar sting in the corner of his eyes. "We are."

"I'm going to be an aunt?"

"You are." William nodded.

"I'm so happy you two are having a baby. I mean, _finally_! It took you two long enough."

William laughed gently, his smile spreading across his face.

"Mom and Dad would be elated for you. You know Mom would be sobbing right along with me," Gigi sniffed, squeezing his arms. "You're going to be the best father. I know from experience."

Gigi's words cracked his chest open wide and he blinked back the tears as gratitude seeped through his veins.

"Thank you, Georgiana," William murmured.

"I'm just telling you what I know. That baby is so lucky to have you as a dad."

They hugged each other again before he led her to Lizzie so she could congratulate her. Eventually, everybody calmed down enough and started asking for details.

"How many weeks?"

"Fourteen yesterday," Lizzie replied.

"You're so far along already!"

"We wanted to wait until I was in my second trimester, which I am now," Lizzie said, glancing to her husband next to her. "And we wanted to tell you all at once."

"Having any weird cravings yet, Lizzie D? Like pickles and herring?"

"Um, gross," Lizzie cringed and brushed her hand across her stomach. "Not much so far. I still have some time to go so you never know."

"So that project you just showed us?"

"Completely fake," Lizzie smiled. "You're all the first to know, so no blabbing to others." Lizzie looked to Lydia. "Mom and Dad don't even know."

"You better hope she's sitting down," Lydia joked. "We don't want another Jane and Bing situation."

"We're telling them all tomorrow."

"Mother's Day. That's fitting," Brandon said.

"When are you due?"

"November 9th."

"No way!" Fitz exclaimed, jumping back up. "I won! I actually won!"

"Told you they'd bet on us," William whispered in Lizzie's ear.

"What were the terms of the bet this time?" Lizzie asked.

"We picked years and then months," Brandon said before gesturing to Fitz. "And for once, Fitz was spot on."

"2018 and October/November," Fitz grinned, as if it needed to be stated. "Just had a feeling."

"I was _way_ off," Sam added. They started telling William who bet what and Charlotte waved Lizzie over to her. Sam got up to talk to William and she took his seat, sandwiching herself between Charlotte and Lydia with Gigi sitting on the corner of the other couch.

"So," Charlotte nudged her. "I did the math."

Lizzie knew what was coming. "Of course you did."

"Hawaii, huh?"

"What about Hawaii?" Gigi asked.

"Sam and I have been married for approximately fourteen weeks."

Lydia snorted.

"Hawaii is a very romantic place, Char," Lizzie said defensively, not giving her the satisfaction. "We weren't just there for your wedding. William and I were celebrating our third anniversary."

Charlotte smirked and Lizzie elbowed her.

"This was no surprise," Lizzie said, bringing a hand to her stomach. "I mean, it was a surprise when we found out but we decided to start trying back in November."

"Since then?" Lydia said in surprise.

"Yea," Lizzie turned to her and smiled. "I found out I was pregnant pretty early on but we kept it between me and William for obvious reasons."

"Wait, you weren't on antibiotics!" Charlotte exclaimed.

"Nothing gets past you," Lizzie chuckled. "I was only six weeks pregnant and had only found out the week before."

"I'm so excited for you two," Gigi said, bouncing a little in her seat. "I can't wait to be an aunt."

"Yea. Your baby is going to have the coolest aunts around." Charlotte added.

"And uncles!" Fitz jumped in, making it apparent he was listening more to them than William.

"We're around to help you whenever you need it," Brandon offered. "Babysitting, anything."

"That's an offer we're going to take you up on."

They all talked for a while longer as their announcement had brought energy to the group and they were inundated with questions. It was a while before someone realized how late it was getting and their friends were slowly saying their goodbyes. Lizzie appreciated Gigi's enthusiasm over the news, especially when William gave her a picture of the ultrasound. She started crying again and Fitz and Brandon had her leave with them, with only Sam, Charlotte, and Lydia staying behind.

Lizzie had noticed that Lydia had been quiet for most of the evening, sitting back and listening rather than being her usual animated self. As Sam and Charlotte talked to William by the door, Lizzie took a seat next to Lydia to talk to her.

"Hey Little Miss Mouse," Lizzie teased and Lydia looked up from her phone, giving her a half-hearted smile. "Lydia, I know when something's wrong with you so spill."

Lydia's brows furrowed and she pressed her lips together, taking her time. Lizzie waited.

"Okay, so I'm really happy you and William are having a baby. It's pretty awesome," Lydia began. "Especially after watching your ultrasound and hearing the heartbeat."

"But?"

"But I feel like this means I'm going to see less of you," Lydia confessed.

Lizzie was taken aback. "Are you kidding me? That's not possible. You're going to be a big part of this baby's life."

Lizzie chuckled but Lizzie noticed it didn't reach her eyes. "That's what Jane said too."

Lizzie understood exactly how she felt now. It had been hard enough on them when Jane moved three thousand miles away. Bing and William had definitely helped, setting up charters so the sisters could see each other a little more often than the holidays. Then Jane had Scarlett and Charlie and those spontaneous weekend trips stopped. Jane was too afraid to travel with the babies during the first year, especially after Charlie had spent two weeks in the NICU. The only time they saw her that year was when they visited her, but those visits were few and far between because of work. It was getting better as the twins got older and Jane showing up on her birthday was truly a shock but the time away from each other was still hard.

"I get it. I miss Jane, too," Lizzie said softly. "But Jane and the kids are in New York. William and I are here and we aren't going anywhere. We're going to need you. This baby needs at least one of her aunts around at all times. You're supposed to be the one to show our child that her parents are super dorky."

Lydia gave her a genuine smile and scoffed, "Easy to do."

"And we'll need a babysitter who we wholeheartedly trust. Not many people fit that criteria automatically," Lizzie offered. "Plus, you need to be around to make sure Gigi doesn't go overboard when you all plan the baby shower. I definitely don't want royal prince or princess themed parties."

"We can def- stay away from those."

"I know we weren't always close but you and I have worked hard to get where we are. I love that you're ten minutes away and we can randomly go out to lunch or visit each other at work." Lizzie grabbed her hand. "I love you and I know this baby is going to love you too."

"I mean, who wouldn't love me? I'm adorbs," Lydia said brightly, beginning to perk up.

"There's the sister I was looking for earlier," Lizzie said before she hugged her.

"I can't believe you're pregnant! Mom and Dad are going to _freak out_. Well, you know, Mom mainly," Lydia amended. "I feel kind of special that I know before them!"

"It's such a relief that you know now. I have more people to talk about this with!"

"You can call me whenever you want to talk about things."

"Or I'll just come over!"

"Even better."

"So, you guys are going on a babymoon?" Lydia asked.

"We are! It's this little resort off the coast of Belize," Lizzie said, pulling out her phone. "William was trying to convince me that we should go to two different places and split the vacation in half but I'd prefer to stay in one place."

"Extra traveling when pregnant sounds terrible."

"That was my argument," Lizzie chuckled. "Cayo Espanto may be small but it looks gorgeous. I want to be lazy and relax the whole time."

"I don't blame you!" Lydia grabbed her phone. "Is that place _over_ the water?"

"Yea but I don't think my stomach can handle it," Lizzie said. "Want to help pick which villa we should stay in? We haven't quite decided. They're all so nice."

"Absolutely!"

* * *

 _Sunday, May 13th (Fourteen weeks, two days)_

William woke up earlier than usual for a Sunday. He had plans of his own for today. He was careful not to wake Lizzie when he got out of bed and went to the kitchen.

A little over thirty minutes later, he came back into the bedroom with a tray full of food and a carnation in a little white vase. He smiled in relief when he saw that Lizzie was still sleeping peacefully. But he didn't want her to eat a cold breakfast so he bent down on her side of the bed and pushed a few tendrils of hair from her face, watching her as she stirred a little but didn't wake.

It gave him a few moments to really look at his wife. Lizzie may not have seen any changes with her body but William certainly had. She was becoming even more beautiful right in front of his eyes. Over the past couple weeks, he had noticed that she was looking more radiant with every day that passed. Her skin was brighter and her hair was more vibrant and even a little more voluminous. Her breasts had become just a tad bit fuller, which really was only noticeable when she was naked.

"Lizzie. Wake up, love," William murmured, brushing his knuckles along her cheek. She squirmed and sighed at his touch. He whispered her name again as he touched her arm and he swore he heard her moan. After a few moments, her eyes slowly opened and her cheeks flushed when she saw William crouched in front of her. "Good morning. Good dream? It took me a while to wake you."

"It was, um, kind of vivid," Lizzie admitted.

"Want to share?" William asked and she shook her head. He chuckled. "Fair enough."

Lizzie started to get out of bed and he stopped her.

"Stay there," William said before grabbing the tray from the bureau. "You're getting breakfast in bed today."

"What? Really?" Lizzie asked, sitting up and leaning against the headboard.

"Of course. Today is your first Mother's Day," William said warmly, setting the tray down in front of her.

"Just because our baby isn't born yet, doesn't mean you're not already a mom," William continued, briefly putting his hand on her stomach. "You're taking care of our little one. In my eyes, that means we can celebrate today."

Lizzie pressed her fingers to her lips and her eyes became a little glassy. She picked up the single white carnation in the vase and caught a whiff of the sweet scent, smiling at William at his gesture.

"After I was born, my dad would give one to my mom every year without fail. When I was old enough, I would give her one as well. Then Gigi was born and our mom received two from each of us. It's…" William paused and looked down. His eyes flickered back up to hers after a few moments and they were filled with admiration. "It's been a long time since I've bought a carnation."

Lizzie wiped away the tears falling down her face, picking up the tray and setting it down next to her. She swung her legs off the bed and pulled William in for a hug.

"Thank you," Lizzie whispered against his neck.

"Thank you for letting me continue the tradition," William murmured. Lizzie pulled back and brought her hands up to frame his face, leaning in and kissing him with all that she could muster. He pressed a hand to the back of her neck and she slid off the bed onto her knees, not quite ready to end the kiss. They reluctantly pulled away and shared a smile before he gestured for her to get back into bed.

"What about you? Where's your breakfast?" Lizzie asked, adjusting pillows against the headboard before she grabbed the tray and put it in front of her.

"I ate while I was making yours. There's a few extra pieces of toast still."

"Go get it!" Lizzie ordered. "Then it's not as awkward for me."

William chuckled. "I'll be right back."

He returned with toast and moved a chair next to the bed, keeping her company while she ate her breakfast. When she was done, he took the tray from her but told her to stay there for just a few minutes more while he went to the kitchen.

"I'm not going to spend the entire day in bed, am I?" Lizzie asked when he came back.

"No, I promise. Just after this one thing," William said, walking into the closet. He emerged a moment later with a blue felt jewelry box.

"Oh no," Lizzie said under her breath. William sat on the edge of the bed next to her and held out the box. "Can you just…can you tell me what it is first?"

"It's a present for you," William said, his lips curving up. She took it from him and looked down at the box for a moment. She knew just from the way he was watching her that it was important to him. The hinges creaked a little as she opened it and she brought a hand up to her chest.

"Will," Lizzie gasped. There was a round gold locket inside, engraved with a beautiful leaf design on the front. There was a whimsical monogrammed design on the back of it and a gold chain to go with it. "This is beautiful."

"It's been in the family for a few generations."

"A few? I have a feeling you're underselling it," Lizzie exhaled.

"It's a family heirloom. I've wanted you to have it for a while but when you told me you were pregnant, I knew it was the right time," William explained.

Lizzie took it out of the box and she heard the tiny click as she gently pried it open. On the inside were two pictures and her eyes began to well up again. On the left was one of her favorites of the two of them. His chin rested on her shoulder as they smiled for the camera, his own big enough to show his dimples while her cheeks were pink from laughing. On the right was a picture from their ultrasound.

"I was thinking you could replace that picture once the baby is born," William suggested, pointing to the ultrasound. "But this way, it's not empty until then. You're still reminded of our family each time you open it."

"Oh Will," Lizzie said shakily. "It's like you're actively trying to make me cry,"

"I swear I'm not." William reached up and wiped away a tear from her cheek.

"First the flower and now the locket?" Lizzie said, playfully narrowing her eyes at him. "You shouldn't toy with a pregnant woman's emotions."

"I apologize. I'll keep that in mind for the future," He took the locket from her and unclasped the chain before putting it around her neck. "Do you like it?"

"I love it. It's gorgeous, Will." Lizzie looked down at her gift hanging from her neck. "Thank you."

"You're welcome, love." William leaned in and kissed her temple.

"Should I be expecting something else today? I just want to prepare myself."

"I have little planned except dinner."

"So if I want to lounge around on the couch with you all day, we can?"

"Absolutely. Today is about what you want," William said affectionately. "But we should probably call your parents and Jane and Bing first."

"Good idea. Give me a little time to get dressed and hydrate," Lizzie quipped. "I have a feeling there's going to be some waterworks."

"I wouldn't doubt it."

* * *

Lizzie and William called Jane and Bing first since they knew they had big plans for the afternoon and didn't want to cut into them. William set Domino up in the living room and Lizzie sent her sister a text to let her know they were ready. Jane and Bing popped up on the screen with Charlie and Scarlett sitting on their laps.

"Hello Lee family!" Lizzie waved. "Happy Mother's Day!"

"Auntie Lizzie! Uncle William!" Charlie and Scarlett yelled. Jane told them to lower their voices and they repeated themselves more quietly.

"Hey, you two," Lizzie waved at the screen. "Are you pampering your mom?"

Clearly the twins didn't understand the term 'pampering' so Jane and Bing quickly explained it to them. Lizzie could clearly see on their faces when it clicked.

"We made her breakfast!" Charlie said.

"And gave her flowers!" Scarlett added.

"It sounds like you two are taking good care of your mom," William said.

"They really are," Jane said, hugging Scarlett from behind. She giggled and squirmed in her mom's lap.

They spent some time catching up, telling each other about their weeks. Jane had a little fashion show where she got to show off some of her new line. The turnout was better than she expected and had a handful of buyers lined up. Bing was in a volunteer slump at his center but he was positive that things would turn around since summer was right around the corner. The twins started to get a little antsy so Jane and Bing let them go play, making sure they were still in their line of sight.

Lizzie squeezed William's thigh, letting him know that it was a good time to tell them. He subtly nodded, giving her a hint of a smile. They had a plan for telling them. It was a simpler than the night before but Lizzie didn't want to just blurt it out.

"Hey, Jane. I'm sending you two a short video I want you to watch," Lizzie said, typing away on her phone. Her heart pounded a little harder in her chest as she attached a shortened recording of their ultrasound to the email. "Let me know when you get it."

"Is this a trailer for _The Sullivan Sisters_ project?" Jane asked.

"We're still casting for it," Lizzie said, pressing send on the email.

"I started reading it, Lizzie," Bing admitted and Lizzie looked surprised. "Yea, I know. It's intended for the teenage audience but it's pretty interesting. The girl at the book store gave me the weirdest look."

"I've read it too, Bing. Don't worry," William chuckled. "I luckily had Lizzie's copy so I didn't have that experience."

"Cheater!"

"I think I got the email, Lizzie. Is it the one titled Number 1?" Jane asked, squinting and leaning closer towards the screen.

"That's it. The video should be attached to it."

Lizzie made sure that the screen cap of the video was a white screen because she didn't want to give it away immediately. She even edited in ten seconds of a white screen so when she opened the video, it wouldn't look suspicious.

"What have you sent us? Does it have to do with your Shakespeare series?" Jane asked before cringing. "I hate to say I'm behind on it again but I am."

"Just watch it, Jane," Lizzie urged.

"Okay, okay. Watching it now."

William slipped his fingers between Lizzie's and caressed her wrist with his thumb, calming her down. When Jane told Lizzie she was pregnant, there were was no fanfare or anything. She simply said the words to her. But when she told everybody she was having twins, she sent them a video of the ultrasound and let it speak for her. Lizzie wanted to do the same thing.

"I think there might be something wrong with the video, Lizzie," Bing started. "It's just a white scre…Holy crap!"

"YOU'RE PREGNANT?!" Jane yelled, jumping out of her seat and out of frame.

"Darcy! Are you kidding?!" Bing asked in disbelief. "You're having a baby!"

"We really are," William said proudly, putting an arm around Lizzie's shoulder and kissing her temple.

"This is huge, dude. You're going to be a father! You must be thrilled!"

"I'm over the moon, Bing."

"Lizzie! Oh my god! This is amazing!" Jane sat back down, grabbing Bing's arm and shaking him a little. "How far along are you?"

"Fourteen weeks. I'm due November ninth," Lizzie said.

"So close to the twins' birthday!" Jane clapped excitedly and Bing laughed.

"Mommy's not using her inside voice!" Charlie's head came into frame, his ears covered with his hands. Bing lifted him up and sat him down on his lap. "Why is Mommy loud?"

"Auntie Lizzie just shared some really good news with us, honey," Jane smiled at him.

"What's happening?" Scarlett's head appeared in frame and Jane picked her up.

"Auntie Lizzie and Uncle William are having a baby," Bing told her. "You're going to have a new cousin."

"Right now?" Charlie asked. William chuckled and Lizzie pressed her lips together to stop herself from laughing.

"Oh no, sweetie," Jane said gently, brushing her hand through his hair. "You see, there's a baby in Auntie Lizzie's tummy, but they need time to grow. One day, she or he will be a real person for you to love."

"Can you have a girl?" Scarlett requested and the adults laughed.

"A boy! Like me!" Charlie shouted.

"We don't know what the baby is yet, Charlie," Lizzie said, pressing a hand to her stomach.

"We hope you'll love them just the same whether you have a girl cousin or a boy cousin," William added.

Charlie looked like he was contemplating it for a moment. "Okay."

"Can we play with them?" Scarlett asked.

"Once they're big enough," Jane replied. They talked to Jane and Bing for a little while longer, giving them details of the past weeks and how they found out themselves. Eventually, Bing needed to get the twins ready for their Mother's Day outing. He told William to call him for any advice he needed and congratulated them again before taking the twins and leaving. William gave Lizzie and Jane a few moments alone and she thanked him by squeezing his hand before he left.

"I can't believe my little sister is going to have a baby! I'm so happy for you and William!"

"We're pretty ecstatic about it."

"How are you feeling?"

"I've been exhausted the past two months and taking so many naps," Lizzie said. "I'm actually feeling normal again this past week! Finally."

"I don't think I took so many naps as when I was pregnant with the twins. Bing was kind of adorable about it and always worried I wasn't getting _enough_ sleep," Jane smiled. "Trust me. Listen to your body and sleep if you're tired."

"Oh, I am."

Jane told her a few different stories and Lizzie was so relieved that she finally had another person to talk to about pregnancy. Jane had gone through worse than Lizzie during her first trimester, dealing with morning sickness nearly every day and even making it in the emergency room once for dehydration.

"You call me for any questions. I mean it," Jane insisted. "Any time of day or night. I don't care. I'm here for you."

"That's really kind of you, Jane," Lizzie replied. "And I'm totally taking advantage of your offer. The books we've been reading kind of suck."

"Oh, they're _all_ terrible. Even worse if you're having more than one. The websites are better. I'll email you links to some of my favorite ones I used when I was pregnant."

"Thank you! I was kind of hoping you'd know the best ones."

"Definitely," Jane nodded. "I'll even send you links to some online stores that I loved the most. I can't wait until you find out if you're having a boy or a girl! You have to tell me right away, okay? And give me enough notice for the baby shower!"

"I definitely will, Jane. It won't be for a while but you'll have to talk to Lydia and Gigi because they're pretty psyched too."

"I'm assuming you haven't told Mom and Dad yet? We were just talking to them right before you, and I know Mom would have spilled that news."

"We're calling them next," Lizzie said, smiling. It was true; her mom wouldn't miss an opportunity to brag to everyone that her daughter was pregnant. "I'm just hoping Mom doesn't faint again."

"You'll have to tell me how she reacts!" Jane said. She paused and turned her head at the sound in the background. "It sounds like Bing needs my help so I have to go. I love you so much, sis. Congratulations to both of you! Good luck with Mom and Dad!"

"I love you too! Have a great Mother's Day!"

"You too, Mother-to-be!"

Lizzie gave Jane a little wave before they hung up. She stood up from the couch to go look for William and found him on the balcony, checking his email.

"Hey there," Lizzie said. He turned at the sound of her voice and smiled. "Jane had to help Bing with the twins."

"That went pretty well," William said, coming back inside and closing the door behind him. He slipped an arm around her waist and they began to head back to the living room

"Yea, it did," Lizzie beamed. "It felt good to talk to Jane about everything."

"I'm glad. I know you've been wanting to for a while."

"Mmmhmm," Lizzie hummed. "Now I can call her whenever."

"Good." William kissed the top of her head. "Ready to tell your parents?"

"This one should be a doozy."

Within a few minutes, Mr. and Mrs. Bennet were on their screen and Lizzie and William were wishing Mrs. Bennet a happy Mother's Day.

"Thank you, you two!" Mrs. Bennet cooed. "It's so nice to hear from all my daughters today. Lydia sent me flowers and Jane made me a lovely scarf. It's just darlin'."

"Speaking of gifts, Dad, would you mind?" Lizzie asked.

"Of course, pumpkin," he replied, disappearing out of frame.

"It's so nice to be thought of once in a while. You'll see someday, Lizzie," Mrs. Bennet continued. "When you become a mother, whenever that may be, you'll be showered with gifts and today won't be just a regular ol' day for you!"

Lizzie toyed with the locket of her necklace and didn't dare look at William because she knew he was holding back a laugh. She listened to her mom's antics and let her keep going because it was going to be her last one for a while. Her dad sat back down soon after with a box in his hands. Lizzie and William had purposely mailed the package addressed to her dad. Her mom was notorious for opening packages earlier than she should have when her name was on it. While sending it to her dad wasn't guaranteed to make her mom suspicious and want to open it, it would definitely deter her.

"Lizzie, what are you doin' givin' your father presents in front of me? On Mother's Day, no less!" Mrs. Bennet huffed.

"Mom, it's actually for you," Lizzie smiled and Mr. Bennet chuckled, handing her the package.

"For me? What is it, Thomas?"

"I don't know, dear. I was given strict instructions to not open it and to give it to you today."

"The utter betrayal from my own husband and child! Were you part of this too, William?"

"I was. I apologize, Fran."

"I'm sorry, Mom." Lizzie refrained from shaking her head and William squeezed her thigh. "Hopefully what's inside will make up for that."

"It better," Mrs. Bennet said. Mr. Bennet offered her some scissors and she began to open it. "Did you know that Jane and Bing send me a wonderful package? It had all my favorite sweets in it and that scarf Jane made…"

Lizzie was barely paying attention to what her mom was saying, rambling on about Jane and Bing's gift. She was more focused on watching her open the package as her dad patiently watched in silence. First was the card that she laid on top so it would be the first thing she read. She and William spent way too long in the greeting card aisle trying to find the best one that would give a subtle hint at their news without actually giving it away.

"To the best grandma around," Mrs. Bennet read aloud when she opened it. She handed it to Mr. Bennet so he could read it. "You're darn right I am. The twins drew me pictures and put them in with the package! Jane assured me they were drawings of me and them playin' together. I was thinkin' of…"

She pulled back the tissue paper and stopped mid-sentence. Her eyes went wide. Inside the box was a picture frame with their sonogram and the saying 'hello grandma' on the bottom of it. Her mother sat there motionless, as if she couldn't quite process what she was looking at.

"Lizzie!" Mr. Bennet exclaimed, seeing the contents in the frame. "Really?"

Lizzie nodded and his expression softened, pressing a hand to his chest. His eyes began to well up and a proud smile slowly spread across his face. Lizzie felt the hot sting of tears at her father's display and she turned to William, who smiled warmly at her and kissed her forehead. Her mom was still frozen in place, her jaw hanging open.

"Congratulations!" Mr. Bennet said gently. "I'm thrilled for the both of you."

"Thank you, Dad. We're pretty excited ourselves."

"I would imagine so. How are you feeling?"

"Surprisingly well right now."

"And I'm taking care of both of them as best as I can."

William's tone was so heartfelt and Lizzie could barely stand it. She felt goosebumps rise on her skin as he took her hand and she looked down at her lap, smiling to herself.

"William, remember what I've told you?"

"Yes, Thomas." William exhaled. "I will absolutely call you for advice."

Mrs. Bennet began to fidget and came to life again right before their eyes. She stood up and sat back down, laughing to herself and clasping her hands together as if in prayer.

"Oh my stars! Is it true?! A baby! You two are finally havin' a baby!?" Mrs. Bennet finally spoke. "My dear Lizzie! You'll be so happy!"

Lizzie laughed softly at her mother's delayed enthusiasm.

"And with such a charmin' man as the father! Imagine if you have a boy! How handsome and tall he'd be," Mrs. Bennet cooed. William pushed back his chin, a rare move for him now, but understandable with Mrs. Bennet's praising. "Oh Lizzie! I couldn't be more pleased with this news! First Jane and Bing give me two grandbabies and now you're givin' me one! I apologize that I've been so pushy but I hope you'll forgive me. Havin' a baby is such a wonderful experience and you'll find out soon enough. When are you due?"

"Hmm? Oh!" Lizzie was caught off guard, expecting her mom to go on even longer than that. Her dad chuckled. "November ninth."

"That's still _months_ away. Whatever will I do until then! I shall go distracted. There's so much to do! Aren't you just so excited to shop for all the adorable clothes and the baby furniture! And the nursery! It's going to be spectacular!"

Lizzie expected this. Her mom had become so invested in Jane's pregnancy, especially because she was having twins. She figured her mom would be enthusiastic about her pregnancy after she had been urging them to start a family for so long.

Mrs. Bennet clapped her hands. "This is the best day of my life!" Lizzie saw her dad subtly shake his head in amusement when she said it. When her mom finally calmed down, she asked Lizzie and William the same questions everyone had been asking them all weekend with Mr. Bennet interjecting with his own questions occasionally. Time passed by quickly and it was nearing eleven.

"Oh dear! We have to get goin'! Your father's taking me out for lunch for Mother's Day," Mrs. Bennet said before gasping and clapping her hands together. "This'll be your day next year! Isn't that wonderful?"

"Actually, Fran, we're celebrating this year as well," William cleared his throat, taking Lizzie's hand in his. He glanced to her with such a warm look and his lips curved up, making her heart flutter. "Lizzie has as much of a right to celebrate as any other mother."

"Well said, William," Mr. Bennet said with a twinkle in his eye. 'Enjoy the rest of your day, you two."

"Thank you, Dad. Have fun at lunch, Mom."

"I will! Call me any time. I'm here for you, dear!"

Her parents disappeared and Domino returned to the home screen. Lizzie let out a heavy sigh and leaned back against the couch.

"That went well," Lizzie said. When William joined her, she curled against him and she began to play with his hand.

"It did. Is it weird I expected more screaming?"

"Not at all. I was ready to turn the sound down, just in case."

"Your mom is enthusiastic, for sure," William said. "But she has a big heart and it's apparent in her love for you and your sisters. As well as with Scarlett and Charlie."

Lizzie softly kissed him before pulling back and fixing her gaze on him. "So, who do we have left?"

"Aunt Catherine, but she's unreachable at the moment. Traveling all day," William said. "I have a meeting with her first thing tomorrow morning. Do you mind if I tell her without you?"

"Not at all. We told who we wanted to tell together. It's been my favorite part of this weekend."

William raised an eyebrow and shifted Lizzie onto his lap. She brought her arms up to his shoulders and smiled at him.

"Is this where you convince me you can make this weekend even better?"

"Yep."

"Ready and waiting to be convinced, pampered, and taken care of today."

"Sounds right up my alley."

Lizzie leaned in close to his ear and whispered. "I'm all yours."

* * *

 _Monday, May 14th (14 weeks, 3 days)_

Catherine DeBourgh was in San Francisco for three days to meet with a handful of venture capitalists, hoping to find a new business to invest in. The first item on her agenda was to meet with William to check on the progress of the company's latest projects. Needless to say, she was impressed by the end of their meeting.

William purposely waited to inform his Aunt Catherine of his and Lizzie's news until they were finished with business. She usually asked how they were doing and showed as much interest as she could. While their personal relationship was lukewarm at best, it was much better than it was a few years ago when they spoke little more than a few words to each other that didn't have to do with business.

Once William broke the news, she offered her congratulations and gave him a somewhat stilted hug. After a weekend of excited screams, happy tears, and warm hugs, he couldn't help but be a little disappointed by her reaction. He walked her from the conference room to the elevator once she was ready to leave and patiently waited until the doors slid closed. He was lost in thought as he walked to his office and barely noticed Fitz come up next to him.

"Daddy D! How are—"

"Nope."

Fitz was thrown off. "What?"

"No to that nickname," William narrowed his eyes at him.

"Oh, come on!" Fitz clapped him on the back. "It's a great one."

"Nope."

"Papa D?"

"Even worse."

"Father D?"

William scoffed. "I'd sound like a priest, Fitz. Darcy is just fine. There's no need for extra nicknames."

"You're no fun, man." Fitz pouted.

"Yes but you're well aware of that fact by now." William and Fitz stopped in front of Mrs. Reynolds's desk. "Do I have any messages?"

"Your meeting at one has been pushed to two and Todd in IT called, saying he fixed the glitch with the timestamps," Mrs. Reynolds replied, handing him his messages.

"Thank you."

Fitz leaned in towards William and theatrically whispered, "Have you told her yet?"

William sighed and rolled his eyes, entertained by Fitz's enthusiasm. "I was getting to that."

"Told me what?" Mrs. Reynolds glanced between the two of them.

"Well…Lizzie's pregnant. We're having a baby," William said, unable to stop the smile from spreading across his face.

"Oh!" Mrs. Reynolds gasped and her hands flew to cover her mouth as her eyes began to water. She stood up and walked around her desk, pausing in front of him. He had a feeling she wanted to hug him so he opened his arms and she took the bait, hugging him fiercely. This was the reaction he wanted from Aunt Catherine. She pulled away and squeezed his biceps. "Congratulations, William. What wonderful news!"

"Thank you, Sue. We're very excited."

"You should be! Your parents would be _so_ happy!" Sue beamed. "How long have you known, Fitz?"

"Only since Saturday. This man is a locked box! Never gave it away."

"We were waiting until Lizzie made it to her second trimester."

"Already? I can't believe it."

William glanced to Fitz for a second. "You know, since my meeting was pushed back, Fitz and I can treat you to lunch today and you can ask what you'd like."

"Are you sure?"

"Sure thing, Mrs. R! Pemberley Digital family is our family too," Fitz said. "Right, Darce?"

"Exactly," William chuckled. "11:30?"

"See you then."

* * *

When Lizzie got out of her first meeting of the morning, she returned to her office to check her email. Most of it was from her normal clientele but the one on the top surprised her. It was from Aunt Catherine. Lizzie knew William had a meeting with her first thing in the morning and that he was planning to tell her. Before she opened the email, she decided to text him a message to make sure.

 _Lizzie 10:32 am_

Hey!

Were you able to tell Aunt Catherine the news?

 _William 10:34 am_

I was.

She said congrats and gave me a hug.

 _Lizzie 10:34 am_

She hugged you?

 _William 10:35 am_

It's wasn't as heartwarming as you might imagine.

 _Lizzie 10:36 am_

:(

Sorry.

 _William 10:36 am_

Can't expect tears from everyone we tell.

Why do you ask?

 _Lizzie 10:38 am_

I'm staring at an email from her right now.

 _William 10:38 am_

What?

What does it say?

I will not tolerate insults of my pregnant wife.

 _Lizzie 10:39 am_

Hold on.

About to read it now.

Lizzie put her phone down and opened the email, hoping to calm William before he got upset.

 _Dear Elizabeth,_

 _I thought I'd take a moment out of my schedule to sit down and send you an email. My nephew has informed me that you are expecting. Let me be one of the many to offer you congratulations. I have never been a maternal sort or had the desire to have children. I left that task up to my sister. She produced two intelligent and exceptional children that have grown up to be intelligent and exceptional adults. And now you and William are bringing another generation of Darcys into the world and I can't help but feel proud on my sister and brother-in-law's behalf…_

The email went on further, telling Lizzie about when William's parents first broke the news of their own pregnancy and a gift she had given them. It was more touching than she expected and found herself tearing up at least once. William texted her a couple times while she read on, obviously anxious to know what his aunt told her. She finally finished it a few minutes later and texted her husband to ease his worries.

 _Lizzie 10:46 am_

It was good.

Pretty touching, actually.

 _William 10:47 am_

You're not lying to calm me down, are you?

 _Lizzie 10:47 am_

Not at all.

Congratulated me.

Said you and Gigi are intelligent adults.

Talked about your parents.

 _William 10:48 am_

Will you let me read it tonight?

 _Lizzie 10:49 am_

I'll read it to you.

There's a couple things that are meant just for me.

Good things. Don't worry.

 _William 10:51 am_

I'll accept that.

I have a conference call in a few so I need to go.

Love you.

 _Lizzie 10:51 am_

We love you too.

Lizzie smiled to herself and returned back to the email, reading one specific section where Aunt Catherine talked about a gift she gave to William's parents. A flash of that particular gift popped up in her mind. She remembered it was stored away in the storage locker with other knickknacks and furniture from William's childhood home. She had an idea and picked up her phone, scrolling to the one person she wanted to talk to the most.

"Hey Gigi? It's Lizzie. I need your help with something."

* * *

 _Thanks as always to Sarah for her AWESOME editing/betaing skills. If you're ever writing something, you need to use her abilities._

 _Thanks to Maggie for shopping for lockets for me even if I ended up choosing a different one. That little extra will be posted on the official tumblr!_

 _Up next? Surprises and the Babymoon!_


	11. Dreaming In Paradise

_Summary: Lizzie and William go on one last big trip before the baby arrives._

* * *

 _Notes: A new month means a new chapter! This one was fun to write and hopefully fun for you to read! Enjoy!_

* * *

After the initial excitement of breaking the news to their closest family and friends, things didn't exactly die down for Lizzie and William. They both informed their fellow managers and other higher-ups within their companies but didn't expressly announce it to the rest of their employees. So naturally, it spread like wildfire throughout both companies. They were congratulated nearly daily and both Lizzie and William discovered there were pools going around the offices on whether they were going to have a boy or a girl.

As Lizzie neared sixteen weeks, she began to notice her old energy returning. She got a boost during her sixteen-week checkup, when Dr. Gates informed them that the NT scan results were normal and she was right on track. She also approved of their babymoon destination, telling Lizzie to avoid only a few activities.

Lizzie even convinced William to check out a yoga class that she found and it turned out that they were both naturals. Despite his initial hesitations about the class, William was the one to pick up the poses a hair quicker than Lizzie. She was already noticing the not-so-subtle glances other women gave her husband in the few classes they had taken so far. It left her with the smug satisfaction that she was the one going home with him.

While Lizzie still wasn't showing, she was starting to feel some interesting effects of being pregnant. It all started with a dream a couple weeks prior. One very detailed and dirty dream that left Lizzie flustered when she thought about it. She thought it was a one-time event until the night after she hit her sixteen-week mark. The dream made another appearance and she woke up that Saturday morning feeling a little frisky and a lot disappointed William was already out of bed. When she went looking for him, she found a note on the board on the fridge stating he had gone for a bike ride. She accepted defeat, knowing he'd be gone awhile, and promptly took a cold shower to calm down her raging pregnancy hormones.

If only she knew that those dreams were just the beginning.

* * *

 _Sunday, May 27th (16 weeks and 2 days)_

The bedroom was beginning to fill up with steam as Lizzie was getting out of bed. William must have been taking an exceptionally hot shower and she realized he had left the bathroom door open. The only thing that confused Lizzie was that she couldn't hear any water running. She called out his name but she got nothing in response so she slowly walked towards the bathroom. She could feel the warmth on her skin as she walked inside but couldn't make anything out in the thick air. She called his name again and she heard his low voice saying her name in return.

She could see a vague shape and heard the sound of a mirror being wiped of steam. Her eyes darted towards the noise and she saw her husband's reflection looking right back at her. He hadn't shaved in a few days, his eyes were piercing blue, and his drying hair was sticking up in all directions. The steam began to dissipate but the room was still humid. She took a step forward so she was within arm's reach of him. He was shirtless, in a towel, and his skin was glistening and begging to be touched. She had the intense urge to grab him and kiss him senseless but her arms refused to obey. Instead, her eyes did the work and drank in the sight of him. It was then that she noticed his towel wasn't really a towel at all. It was a red and black plaid kilt. It sat low on his hips, with that little trail of hair disappearing in the fabric, showing off his Adonis belt. She was taken aback by his attire but one thing was for sure: he wore it well.

"Why are you wearing that?" Lizzie asked breathlessly.

"Why not?" William replied smoothly, turning to face her. He ran a hand through his hair, making it even messier, and crossed his arms over his chest. Lizzie was about to spontaneously combust from the image before her.

"Are you…" Lizzie paused as he began to approach her. She backed up slowly, unsure why since she was ready to pounce.

"Am I what?" William asked huskily.

"Are you wearing anything underneath?" Lizzie swallowed as her back hit the wall. William stopped inches before her and hovered over her. That perfect little smirk appeared on his face and he bent down close enough that his nose grazed against hers.

"Check for yourself."

Lizzie's eyes darted down to his groin and back up again. He quirked an eyebrow to let her know he was waiting. She brought a hand to his hard chest and trailed her fingers slowly down past the ridges of his stomach muscles, hooking them onto the rough fabric of the kilt. She tugged a little and he took a small step forward, a deep noise escaping his throat. Pausing for only a second longer, she dipped her hand under his kilt and found her answer. She grinned and brushed her fingers against his hard length. His nostrils flared and his jaw tensed and it made her want to rip the kilt off and have her way with him. Or better yet…

She stared him straight in the eye and unbuttoned her shirt as he watched her every movement. Letting it drop to the floor, she stood before him in only a skimpy pair of silk underwear. Then she shimmied out of them and kicked them off to the other side of the room. She reached out and dipped a finger back into his kilt and yanked him forward. He braced himself by putting his hands on the wall next to her shoulders and he licked his lips in anticipation.

"Tell me what you want."

Her brain was telling her it would be much better if she showed him. She turned around, laid her hands flat on the wall and arched her back into him. William leaned in and pressed his erection against her. Heat pooled between her thighs at the contrast of his hardness and the rough fabric of his kilt. William flicked the tip of her earlobe with his tongue before biting down, tugging lightly. She was too wound up for teasing. Why couldn't he read her mind and do exactly what she wanted without her having to say anything?

Lizzie grabbed his hands in frustration, guiding one to her breast and the other to where she was throbbing for him. He quickly took control and began to massage her breast. She gasped in delight when he gently rolled her nipple between his fingers. Her eyes fluttered and she slammed her hand on the wall for support as he slowly traced her sex, teasing her further.

" _Lizzie."_

Her name was barely more than a whisper and it felt so far away, despite her feeling his warm breath skating past her ear. She let out a guttural moan when he began to rub circles over her clit, pressing down just enough to make her crave more. He dragged his lips from her ear to her shoulder and bit down on her skin. The myriad of sensations felt like too much and yet she wanted the scrape of his teeth, the scratch of the fabric on her bare skin, and the roughness of his hands.

" _Lizzie."_

She began to rock her hips against his hand, desperate to feel more. She could feel the ache building quickly, bringing her closer to release and to a pleasure so pure. Her gaze drifted to the mirror and watched their reflections wishing he would just bend her over and finally bury himself deep inside her. She moaned again as he quickened the circling rhythm against her.

Then, she felt the tickle of his lips as he leaned in close to her ear once more.

" _What are you dreaming of?"_

Everything around her began to melt away around her and the words were repeated, sounding closer than ever.

"Elizabeth…"

Lizzie cautiously opened her eyes, slowly coming to the realization that it was all a dream. Another dirty and detailed dream that left her unsettled but also very much wanting. She could either take full advantage or pretend nothing happened. Before she had a chance to think too much about it, she rolled over towards William and sat up. She pushed him down on the mattress and hitched her leg over, sitting down on his lap.

"Good _morning_ ," William said lowly, surprised by her actions. "Sleep well?"

"Very." Lizzie nodded as she pulled her sleep shirt off and tossed it away. She caught that flash of desire in his eyes and she subtly wiggled her hips, feeling the stirrings of his arousal.

"Are you going to tell me about it?"

Lizzie put her hands on his torso and gradually moved them up his chest, bending down close to his face. "Live with the mystery."

She closed the gap between them, kissing him roughly and passionately. William brought one hand and wrapped it around the back of her neck as her tongue traced his bottom lip. His other hand glided up her pale skin and cupped one breast. It was even better than her dream and she sighed at his touch. His lips parted and she brushed her tongue along his. She started to rock her hips on top of him, getting more and more impatient as she felt him harden beneath her. They kissed until they were desperate for air before Lizzie pulled away and gasped for breath. She looked down at him and their gazes locked, reading desire in each other's eyes

Lizzie sat up on her knees, swinging her leg off him, all too happy to have an abundance of energy in her second trimester. She removed her underwear while William took advantage and hastily removed his pajama pants and boxers in one swift movement, kicking them off to the end of the bed. As he started to sit up, Lizzie pushed him back down and waggled her eyebrows, letting him know that she was in charge. He rested his hands on her upper thighs as she straddled him once more. She grabbed his erection and William quietly grunted as she gave him a little squeeze while she positioned herself above him.

After the build-up from her vivid dream, she had zero patience to tease her husband – and herself – even a moment more. She pressed him against her slick and aching entrance and then slid down, taking in every inch of his hard length. She let out a shaky breath as he filled her up, only scratching the surface of her needs. Pressing her hands down on his chest, she began to rock her hips back and forth. There was little finesse in her movement but she was determined to get that pleasure she was seeking in her dream. It was taking her no time at all with her newly awoken hormones. She dropped her head back and moaned as William thrust up inside her, timing it perfectly as she rocked forward. The heat in her lower belly was raging and her skin was scalding from his every touch, building up her arousal to impossible heights. It was only seconds later and Lizzie slammed her eyes shut as a burst of pleasure spread throughout her, her toes curling at the intensity. A low cry ripped from her throat as she trembled above him, giving her the satisfaction she was aching for.

William didn't pause in his movement and his thrusts became more powerful, getting Lizzie wound up again quickly. He sat up and pulled her in for a deep kiss, threading his fingers through her hair. She wrapped her arms around him, clutching at his back as the heat between her thighs began to build again. She clenched around him and he groaned, untangling his hands from her hair and grabbing her thighs. He slid both hands to the back of her knees and tugged, pulling her closer and maneuvering her to wrap her legs around him. Lizzie whimpered at the new angle and it brought her even closer to more pleasure.

"Will…please…" Lizzie pleaded with a shaky voice. William moved a hand between them and pressed his thumb to her clit, subtly circling her sensitive spot. Lizzie moaned and dropped her head to his shoulder, tightening her grip around him. She climaxed once more, his name caught in her throat. He continued to massage her, prolonging her bliss and coaxing out a few more bursts of pleasure. It was too much but exactly what she needed and all she could do was cling to William as her body thrummed.

When he eventually pulled his hand away, he held onto her hips and his strokes became more demanding. She lifted her head and kissed him fiercely, lips bruising, as she clenched around him and bared down. He thrust up and lost all semblance of control, holding her hips still as he came and breaking off the kiss to gasp her name. Lizzie quickly untangled her legs as he fell back, bringing her with him as he continued to pulse inside her.

Their ragged breaths filled the air as they laid there for the next few minutes, too spent from their activities to move. Finally, Lizzie pushed herself up and looked at William, giving him a little smile and a peck on the cheek. Then she maneuvered herself off him and moved to her side, not wanting to put any more pressure on her stomach. She draped a leg over his and rested her head on his shoulder.

"Wow," William breathed.

"Agreed."

"You really do have more energy now."

"Bless the second trimester," Lizzie hummed before adding. "We'll have to be more creative in our positions once I start getting a belly."

"We're okay for now." William's eyes flickered to her relatively flat stomach. "But I look forward to our…experimentation."

"I bet you do," Lizzie giggled, sitting up. "I'm in desperate need of a shower."

"Would you like company?" William asked as she started to round the bed. She looked back at his naked body and she felt stirrings of desire again as she flashes of kilt and steam flooded her mind. It surprised her and that her hormones would revive so quickly after such passion. She didn't dare question it though. She licked her lips, then smiled.

"You know it."

* * *

 _Saturday, June 2nd (17 weeks and 1 day)_

So began a pattern over the next week. Lizzie would have the raunchiest dreams with the most vivid details every night. Each morning, she'd wake up craving sex and William was all too happy to oblige. She quickly discovered that being pregnant was giving her more intense orgasms than ever before and it barely took her any time to get there, not that it was ever a problem in the first place. She was starting to feel like a teenager who had just discovered sex for the first time.

She read about other women in some pregnancy threads had dealt with the same thing. She even called Jane out of curiosity, who admitted that she often had similar dreams but they weren't always about Bing. So far, Lizzie had been lucky enough that all her dreams only starred her husband. Some of them involved positions and in places and even different time periods, which seemed completely outrageous to her once she woke up. The one that made her blush the most was when she dreamt of two of him at the same time, partially because she actually climaxed in her sleep. She would take the details of that specific dream to her grave.

After asking a couple times that week, William finally broke her down and got her to admit what was happening after a particularly vigorous session in the shower Saturday morning.

"I'm not complaining about your renewed stamina, Lizzie," William said from the kitchen as he poured them each a glass of water. He brought her over a glass and handed it to her before sitting down. "I'm rather enjoying it, actually. I wish you would fill me in, at least."

Lizzie took a sip before putting it down and facing him. "I've been having dreams."

"I figured as much. You've been squirming around all week and you're usually a deep sleeper."

"They're kind of detailed," Lizzie said hastily, pushing aside the stirrings of embarrassment. She tried to change the subject. "Did you know that women have more dreams when they're pregnant? And somehow they're more memorable because of our hormones and that we're getting up in the middle of the night to pee."

"Please tell me."

"Okay," Lizzie sighed. "I've been having some pretty racy dreams." He arched an eyebrow and he had a hint of a smile. "Sex dreams, in fact."

"Have you really?"

"Yea. I'm kind of surprised with what my subconscious has been coming up with."

"Are…are you embarrassed about that?" William asked gently. "I was hoping you'd tell me everything that's happening to you during this pregnancy."

"I do want to tell you! I don't know. I've never really had a detailed sex dream before, let alone _multiple_ ones," Lizzie admitted. "I wasn't sure how you'd react. Plus, they seem so real."

"Are they about other people?"

"No!" Lizzie said, laughing a little. "All you."

"Well…it's not like you're controlling your dreams." William reached over and took her hand. "But maybe you could tell me about them from now on? We could maybe, uh, reenact one or two."

"If you don't mind hearing about them."

"I'd only want to hear the ones about you and me," William amended. "If your mind happens to go astray."

Lizzie smiled. "Okay. Some of the dreams have been in different time periods so those would be harder to…recreate."

William chuckled in surprise. "You're kidding." Lizzie shook her head. "Are you willing to tell me any of them?"

"Well…there was one where you were wearing a kilt. It felt current and we were in the bathroom. Things progressed rather quickly once I saw you." Lizzie pulled on her bottom lip and her eyes glazed over for a moment. She must have been thinking about the details. "I attribute that one to watching _Outlander_ the night before."

"Interesting," William said simply.

"And another where we were in Regency times."

"After we watched that Jane Austen movie Tuesday night?"

"Yea…Everything we watched this week, I swear. There was something about your mouth when you spoke," Lizzie said cheekily, brushing her fingers along his knee and licking her lips. "You also pulled that off that outfit quite well. Everything in that dream was _very_ scandalous."

"Maybe you can tell me the details of that one later," William suggested, leaning in and kissing the corner of her mouth. "Anything that doesn't involve costumes?"

"A few positions and places," Lizzie said, explaining them. William was impressed and surprised but in the end, he suggested they try at least one position on their upcoming trip, as long as she was comfortable. She told him a few more dreams and he noticed her starting to squirm a little. He had to admit that what she was telling him was starting to get him a little hot under the collar.

"And what was your last dream about?"

"You were a very talented…circus performer," Lizzie said.

William's brows furrowed in confusion. "What? Like with lions and elephants?"

"Like with ropes and aerial tricks."

"What exactly had you so…riled up?"

"Well, you gave me a private show. The lighting was only on you and you only wore these well-fitted black pants, which made you look incredible. You were pulling yourself up with one arm, spinning around, and totally showing off," Lizzie explained. Her forehead scrunched up, telling William that she was clearly thinking about how to word what she wanted to say. "After you showed me your best tricks, you…Well, you used the rope on me."

William's eyes widened at the admission. Then he briefly remembered the time she used handcuffs on him during their honeymoon and how taking away his ability to touch her drove him up a wall. He immediately understood why she had been so hands-on in the shower.

"And you enjoyed it."

"My dream self certainly did," Lizzie nodded slowly. "Then again, my dream self is enjoying a lot lately. I'm beginning to see why certain women love being pregnant so much."

"And why certain men love their wives when they're pregnant," William said. "I'm one of them."

" _Just_ when they're pregnant, huh? Should I be barefoot and in the kitchen too?"

"Don't twist my words," William narrowed his eyes at her. He tugged on her hand and she scooted in closer, draping her legs across his lap. "I love you in every condition, whether you're pregnant or not. I love you when you're pregnant –" William rested a hand on her stomach. "—because you're carrying our child. And I guarantee that I'll love you even more after you have this baby because you'll be that much more beautiful to me."

Lizzie brought a hand to his cheek and kissed him slowly and softly. When she pulled away, she sighed. "I put you on the spot and you still come up with things like that. How lucky am I?"

"As lucky as me," William chuckled. Lizzie smiled and kissed his cheek before sliding her legs off his lap and standing up. She held out a hand for him.

"Come on."

"Where are we going?" William asked as he got up.

"I'm craving some fruit," Lizzie said. "And I want to go to the farmer's market for it."

"We have fruit here," William said, gesturing to the kitchen as he followed her to the bedroom to get ready.

"It's not as fresh!" Lizzie replied, matter-of-factly. "I'd like get some exercise today and I thought we could walk there."

"It does look like a nice day for a walk," William noted, glancing out to the balcony.

"Exactly!" Lizzie said brightly, grabbing her tennis shoes and a pair of socks from the closet. She sat down next to him on the bed and nudged his shoulder. "It'll be like a fun little date. What do you say? Will you go out with me?"

William smiled at her playfulness. "Gladly."

* * *

Lizzie's dreams did not subside at all and it was starting to affect her concentration. She tried her best to focus at work, especially during her meetings and when checking the progress of projects. She was going to be gone for nearly two weeks on her trip and Andrea would be in charge, as per usual. Still, she found herself daydreaming about William and their morning sessions throughout the week. She'd text him about her fantasies when she had some downtime and he'd respond in kind. By the end of the day, he was nearly as eager to see her as she was. It started to feel like the days after they returned from their honeymoon and they couldn't get enough of each other.

They would be leaving for their babymoon in Belize on Sunday and not coming back until a couple days before her twenty-week ultrasound. William had originally wanted to spend a full two weeks at their destination, but she convinced him that extending their trip would delay them from finding out the gender of the baby. It worked like a charm since she knew he was just as anxious to find out what they were having as she was.

They packed throughout the week and Lizzie declared that she was all done on Friday night, with the exception of a few last-minute items. Then, on Saturday, William found Lizzie in the bedroom in her bra and a pair of shorts with half the contents of her suitcase laid out on the bed.

"I thought you were done," William said.

"I thought I was. Then I tried to put on those pants." Lizzie pointed to the ones folded on the chair. "And I couldn't button them."

William walked over and picked up the pants in question. "Aren't these the ones that were tight to begin with? You only bought them because you like the way your butt looks in them?"

"You do, too! And that's not the point. I don't want to be uncomfortable on this vacation," Lizzie said in a huff.

"Well, most of your clothes are adjustable, loose, and made for tropical weather," William said.

"I'm eighteen weeks pregnant and have gained six pounds. I could gain more while we're there or even pop!"

"Pop?"

"I could start showing finally. Gigi said it yesterday while we had lunch. I think she's just as antsy for me to get a belly as I am. So far only my hips are a little wider," Lizzie grumbled, looking down. "And I'm _always_ wearing a bra now because my boobs are bigger. I'm getting belly envy when we go to the doctor. These women have these really cute bellies and I just look like I had a big meal."

William smiled sympathetically and walked over to her side of the bed, kissing her temple before sitting down before her.

"Dr. Gates said women show at different rates. I read that you can take longer to show with your first pregnancy because your stomach muscles are stronger. The baby could be hanging out near your back too. I read that's another reason you wouldn't be showing yet," William said before putting his hands on her hips, grazing his thumbs along her bare skin. "For the record, I like these hips. And you know my thoughts on your breasts."

"Will," Lizzie laughed, swatting his shoulder. "In my head, I pictured I would be big already because Baby would be taking after you."

"You know, I was an average-sized newborn. I didn't come out this tall."

"You're hilarious."

"All I'm saying is Baby could still take after me," William said, sliding his hand to her stomach. "I am very much looking forward to seeing you grow. I'm sure it will be sooner than you expect. In the meantime, may I help you out with your packing predicament?"

"Nice alliteration," Lizzie teased. "And yes, I would very much like your help."

* * *

 _Sunday, June 10th (18 weeks and 2 days)_

Lizzie and William left for the airport first thing Sunday morning. William made arrangements for a chartered plane because he wanted Lizzie to be comfortable, it would be the quickest route, and all the commercial flights had at least one stop. It would have added hours to their traveling time and neither liked the sound of it. Lizzie fell asleep shortly after they took off while William read, catching himself watching his wife sleep a few times. When she finally woke up, they ate a light lunch and talked for the rest of the flight.

They landed at the International Airport in Belize City just after three pm, losing only an hour to the time difference. A representative from the resort was waiting for them once they got through customs and brought them to a helicopter to transfer them to their final destination. The ride was only thirty minutes long but Lizzie and William were mesmerized by the breath-taking views of the Caribbean Sea below them. The representative pointed out small Cayes they passed over, letting them know they were available to them to explore during their stay. The island began to come into view and Lizzie lit up, thankful to be almost there and so close to relaxation. They landed a few minutes later and their representative led them away from the noise of the helicopter to a line of staff waiting to greet them, introducing them to a woman in uniform while they took their luggage to their place.

"Welcome to Cayo Espanto. My name is Anya. We've been expecting you!"

Cayo Espanto was a small private island off the coast of Belize, surrounded by the clear blue waters of the Caribbean Sea. There were only seven villas on the four acres of land and staff outnumbered the guests. When Lizzie and William were looking for a destination similar to their honeymoon, they were thrilled to stumble upon this one. Not only did the privacy lure them in, but the island offered a babymoon package that would cater directly to them. Meals would be tailored to Lizzie's dietary restrictions and they would have a personal houseman, much like on Fregate. The hardest part of planning the trip had been figuring out which villa to choose from.

"Casa Manana is ready and waiting for you," Anya said, gesturing for them to follow her. There was a path of raked sand before them with floral designs every ten or so feet. Anya told them a little about the island during their short walk to their place. Their villa came into view through the trees and Lizzie smiled at William. It was the most secluded one on the island, situated on the opposite end of the island from most of the others. 'Welcome' was written in the sand at the bottom of their stairs and a staff member in khakis and a blue shirt was waiting for them, holding a tray of drinks in one hand. The staff member handed them each a wet towel before they walked inside to put their luggage down. Every door to the villa was open, providing a view of the water in almost every direction.

"Will!" Lizzie whispered excitedly. "This place is amazing!"

"It is," William agreed. The main room of the villa had a large king-size bed with a mosquito net hanging above it and tucked behind the head. There was a small granite end table on each side of the bed and a lamp on each end of the headboard. A bureau that hid a large flat-screen TV was in the right corner of the bedroom, two wicker chairs were placed a couple feet from the end of the bed, and a small coffee table sat between them. Just behind the bedroom was an open room, where two staff members were putting their luggage away. The bedroom led out to the deck, which wrapped around the entire villa. A hammock was hung between two pillars hung off to the left side of the villa and two lounge chairs sat right in front of the small plunge pool. A short set of stairs led straight to the water, which was only a few feet from them. There was a private pier to the left of the pool, which had a small deck with two more lounge chairs and a large umbrella between them for shade.

Before they had the chance to explore any more, the staff member with the tray returned and handed them each an ice-cold drink.

"Non-alcoholic, ma'am," the staff member assured her.

"Thank you," Lizzie said, taking a sip of the refreshing beverage. He smiled and tucked the tray beneath his arm before excusing himself. William walked over to and put his arm around her waist, kissing her temple before taking a sip of his own drink. "Does yours have alcohol in it?"

William shook his head. "Lemonade."

The two staff members emerged from the room behind the bedroom to introduce themselves.

"Good afternoon. My name is Omed and this is Jonathan," Omed said, gesturing between himself and the man beside him. "We are here for anything you need. We took the liberty of having a few things prepared for you for your arrival." They followed the two men outside where they noticed two chairs and a table to the right of the pool. There was a tablet as well as a few appetizers on the table for them, still steaming hot. He explained that the tablet was used to make orders for any meals and activities, as well as contacting them. "Don't hesitate to call us at any time. We hope you enjoy your stay."

William thanked both men before they left, leaving him and Lizzie alone to enjoy themselves.

"What do you say we eat and then explore?" William suggested.

"I say yes please."

* * *

When they finished with their drinks and welcome food, they took some time to check out the rest of the place. They found a mini fridge in the small room behind the bedroom, filled with bottles of water, various juices, and some clear sodas. To the right of that room was the bathroom. There was a granite counter with one sink and a toilet on the opposite side. The shower was beyond that, just outside with wooden panels for privacy. Lizzie laughed and said outdoor showers were starting to become a thing with them.

The reviews they read had been right: they were on the most secluded part of the island. All of the other villas were behind them and there was nobody on either side of them when they hung out on the dock for a bit. As the sun began to set, they understood exactly why it was one of the most popular villas. They would easily be able to watch the sunset from bed, which they easily found out as Lizzie tested out the bed in her modified signature way. William refused to let her jump on the bed, for fear she would fall. Instead, she sat on her knees and bounced a few times before declaring it comfortable.

They stayed in the rest of the evening. They had a late dinner out on their deck and closed up all the doors in the villa before enjoying a shower together. Then, they fell into bed to test out the bed in an entirely different way. They didn't call it a night until a couple hours later when they had worn each other out, and they had no trouble falling asleep.

* * *

 _Wednesday, June 13th (18 weeks and 5 days)_

Lizzie felt more relaxed than she had in months. Ever since her company had signed on to partner with Scholastic, she felt like her workload had doubled. She loved what she did and she knew she was lucky to be working with such an established company, but she was sorely in need of a break. William had been pulling late nights as well so she was happy to have ten uninterrupted days of just the two of them.

They spent Monday and Tuesday being as lazy as possible, which was far too easy to do on the island. Their meals were brought to them at a moment's notice with stellar service. They caught up on some much needed rest, intermittently napping over the first two days.

Lizzie was using today to catch up on reading. Lathered in sunscreen, dressed in shorts and a bikini top and armed with her tablet, she staked her claim in the hammock. William took the opportunity to spend some time in their personal plunge pool, swimming very short laps and working on his breath control. She didn't even notice he had stopped until he was standing above her.

"What are you reading?"

Lizzie adjusted her straw hat and glanced up, smiling at him. He was rubbing a towel over his head and drying off drops of water from the pool.

"I'm reading about the baby's development. I haven't checked the app in almost three weeks. I'm terribly behind."

William grimaced. "I haven't read the eighteen week one yet."

"Join me!" Lizzie said. He started to grab a nearby chair and she stopped him. "No, Will. This hammock is big enough for two."

"I'm all wet," William stated the obvious.

"Since when have I cared before?" Lizzie sat up, putting one foot on the deck for stability. It took them a few moments to get re-situated but they were comfortable in the hammock together, with Lizzie using William's arm as support behind her neck.

"What is Baby up to today?"

"Baby is almost the size of a tomato now," Lizzie answered, reading from the tablet. "And apparently can yawn!"

"Have you felt Baby move yet?"

"No. According to this, I should be able to soon though."

"You know, I'm really looking forward to finding out what we're having so we'll no longer have to refer to Baby as Baby," William said as he began to stroke her hair.

"Early in this pregnancy, I didn't want to know." Lizzie glanced to him. "I thought we could wait until the baby comes. Make it a surprise for all of us."

"But?"

"I really want to know," Lizzie admitted, resting a hand on her stomach. "We're in the dark until we go back home. We haven't even discussed baby names yet!"

"Do you have any in mind?"

"A handful. What about you?"

"Well, there's been the tradition of naming the boys after the father," William said and she squirmed a bit. "But I have a feeling you're not quite sold on that."

"I'm not one to mess with tradition but I do have my reservations about it. William Darcy has so much history attached to the name. If we're having a boy, I want him to have his own unique identity. Naming him William puts that history on his shoulders as soon as he's born. He might feel that pressure that he doesn't have a choice but to follow in his father's footsteps. There's the assumption that he'd take over Pemberley without really giving him a chance to figure out what he wants to do for himself," Lizzie paused for a few moments. "Do you remember when Gigi was terrified to tell you she wasn't going to grad school?"

"I do."

"And you said she could achieve whatever she wanted because she's a Darcy?"

William nodded.

"Darcy is what's most important in this scenario. I took your last name for a reason. I respect and admire everything that your parents achieved before you and what you've done since. I am proud to be part of the Darcy legacy and even more so to expand upon it," Lizzie continued. "I'd want our son to have a clean slate. His successes and failures should be his own. Being a Darcy gives him more opportunities but he should still be able to carve out his own path rather than it be laid out for him."

"Wow." William rubbed a hand down his face. "I can't deny that I never felt that pressure myself. I knew I'd run Pemberley one day. My father did it and my grandfather before him. I do realize it was a little to do with sharing a name. I see your point, Lizzie. You really feel strongly about this."

"I'm willing to compromise though. I'd love to use William as a middle name."

"I think I can agree to that."

"And if we're having a girl, I really want to use Anne for the middle name," Lizzie said. William's expression softened and he brought a hand up to rest on her cheek, kissing her tenderly before pressing his forehead to hers.

"I'd like that very much," William murmured.

"I hoped you would," Lizzie said with a sigh. "So now, we just need to figure out names that will go well with William and Anne."

"I hadn't considered boys' names before this."

"Well, maybe I can help. I like classic, but overly used names like Katie, Sarah, or Megan are out. I don't want something that sounds made up or gives other kids the opportunity to tease our kid," Lizzie said.

"Like?"

"Like if we converged our first names to be entirely unique. Say…" Lizzie paused, scrunching her nose up in thought. "Willizie or Eliziam."

William broke into laughter. "That's cruel and unusual punishment."

"They're terrible examples but I'm just trying to get my point across."

"You mean you don't like the name Liliam?" William asked, waggling his eyebrows playfully.

"For a boy or a girl?"

"Either."

Lizzie snorted. "Can you imagine? Liliam William Darcy?"

"It's wrong on too many levels." William shook his head before looking at her. "What about Lily?"

"I like that actually. It goes well with Anne. Lily Anne."

"It does. What are some of your literary inspired names?"

"Girls' names first? There's Olivia, from Shakespeare. Elinor from Jane Austen, but I don't like the spelling. I don't quite like the spelling from _Lord of the Rings_ either," Lizzie started. "Madeline from _Madeline_ , Penelope from _The Odyssey_ , Matilda from the children's series…"

"What about Emma and Alice?" William suggested. "Or Claire?"

"As much as I like Emma, it's too popular now."

"True. I really like some of the ones you mentioned. They're very elegant sounding."

"Aren't they? Alice and Claire are nice suggestions too. We need to start a list."

"Did you talk about literary names with Jane when she was pregnant?" William asked.

"We did. Scarlett is from _Gone with the Wind_ , obviously," Lizzie replied. "It was a contender of mine a long time ago but it works so much better with Lee than it would Darcy."

William took the tablet from her and opened up a new document, adding the names they liked the most of the ones they had just mentioned. They mentioned some more off the top of their head. Lizzie vetoed some of William's choices, including Edith and Hazel, and he vetoed a few of hers. They had a list of ten girls' names by the end of it.

"This is a good list. We haven't even turned to the internet yet," Lizzie noted.

"We'll get there," William said. "Now for boys."

"Westley!" Lizzie blurted out.

"Veto. As much as we love the movie, we're not using any names from it."

"I wouldn't do that to our son!" Lizzie laughed. "Westley William? No name alliterations. That goes for the girl's names too. It's why I didn't suggest Abigail even though I like it."

"What about Matthew?"

"I like it. Add it," Lizzie said before tapping on his arm. "Also Jack and Henry."

"Good ones. Jack Darcy. Henry Darcy," William tested them out. "Zachary?"

"Too _Saved by the Bell_ for me."

"Alright then…" William was caught off guard for a moment. "Daniel? Oh wait. That doesn't work. We don't want alliterations with the last name either. Nathaniel?"

They agreed on seven names for boys before they decided they were done discussing names for the time being. If one of them had thought of another name in the future, they made a 'to-be discussed' column and added the list to their phones.

Lizzie was really happy to have this time just with William. They hadn't had a moment in their busy schedules to relax and talk about something as simple as baby names. It felt like one step closer to parenthood. She was beginning to realize just how much they needed some time alone with each other before the baby came. There was still so much to do but this getaway was giving them the time they needed to prepare for their growing family.

* * *

Somehow, the hammock became their place for talking about baby business. After a romantic sunset dinner on Wednesday set up on the end of their dock, they migrated back to the hammock. They discussed ideas for how to decorate the nursery. They would need to get rid of the rest of the furniture in the guest bedroom but they had already made a dent by selling the bed a couple weeks prior. Eventually, they agreed to keep things gender neutral and contemporary.

William brought up the subject of researching schools and Lizzie scoffed at the idea.

"I think we have some time, Will," Lizzie said. "Our kid wouldn't be going for some time."

"There are waiting lists for preschools," William replied. "Some as long as three or four years."

"You're kidding."

"I'm not. Bing warned me about it. Scarlett and Charlie have been on a waiting list since they were born. San Francisco has some very good preschools and our child should be in the best. We should really look into them."

"Put it on the list of things to do when we get back."

"And while we're on the subject, we should start researching the private schools too."

"Wait a minute. What happened to the option of public school?"

William blinked. "I assumed our child would be going to private school."

"Just because you went? I went to public school and I turned out quite well, thank you very much," Lizzie said defensively.

"I'm not dismissing your education, Lizzie," William said. "We have the money and the opportunity to give our child the best choice in schooling."

"Give me a reason why we should choose a private school over a public one."

"I can give you several. The schools and classroom sizes are smaller. There's less of a chance that a student can slip through the cracks and be ignored. There's a sense of community amongst peers, as I felt when I went to private school. Students aren't inundated with state testing so there is less focus on paperwork and test scores. Teachers can be more creative in teaching their students."

"We did have a lot of tests in school," Lizzie frowned.

"Funding is especially important for private schools. Public schools cut their budget and the arts programs are usually the first ones to go. How terrible would it be for our child to not be exposed to the arts like us?" William asked, looking at her. "There is more available to a student in the private school system and parents are more involved. I want to be involved in our child's education. They don't have to go to the same school that I did. It was certainly a good school but there may be better now."

"We're arguing a lot today about what we want. Me with the baby names and now you with schooling."

William chuckled. "I think of it more as a passionate debate. Isn't that what we do best?"

"I suppose so," Lizzie relaxed against him. "Did you like your uniform?"

William nodded. "I didn't mind it. I essentially wear the same thing to work."

"Your suits are _not_ the same as a shirt and tie," Lizzie said with a twinkle in her eye.

"If only my seventeen-year old self knew the perks of a suit," William smirked. Lizzie laughed before putting a hand to her stomach. "You okay?"

"Yea. Dinner is still digesting apparently," Lizzie said, waving it off. "I've seen the pictures of you at seventeen and you looked nice in a suit but really, it's nothing compared to now."

"I'm well aware of your affinity for my wardrobe," William murmured, leaning in closer. Lizzie rested a hand on the back of his neck as he kissed her. His mouth moved languidly across hers, gently nipping on her bottom lip. He swept his tongue across hers and she whimpered as he kept going. He shifted above her slightly and the hammock became unsteady, catching them off guard and breaking out into laughter.

"This isn't going to work," Lizzie concluded. William glanced towards the bedroom and her eyes followed. Their gazes met again and she pulled on her bottom lip. She saw a flash of desire in his eyes and she was ready to go just with that look. " _That_ is definitely going to work."

"Follow me, Mrs. Darcy."

* * *

 _Thursday, June 14th (18 weeks and 6 days)_

William was wide awake.

Lizzie was next to him, moaning in her sleep. No matter how many times he woke up before her, he wasn't quite used to her recent vivid dreaming. His body always reacted to those soft sounds of hers but her squirming next to and against him really took a toll on him. He tried not to wake her when this happened, even though it was nearly every morning. It was better that she wake herself up. Sometimes, she'd wake up and her cheeks would get red, embarrassed about the details. It took her a few moments to warm up and then she'd either tell him or, on more than one occasion, show him. He was happy with both.

She moaned his name and he rubbed his eyes with the palm of his hands as his tolerance wore thin. She was making him harder every moment she was asleep. She began to squirm more and her breathing was a little more erratic. A low noise escaped from her throat and her eyes fluttered open and slowly but surely focused on him.

"Morning." William turned onto his side to face her.

"Hi." Lizzie's cheeks brightened and she licked her lips. "I had a very good dream."

"You don't say," William replied cheekily.

"Oh, I'll keep the details to myself then," she said, meeting his tease.

"How about just the highlights?" William reached out and began to caress her bare arm.

Lizzie looked him over for a few moments before talking. "Let's just say I had the rope dream again but this time, you were in my favorite suit of yours."

"So dream me is just as talented fully dressed with these ropes as he is barely dressed?" William asked, playing along. She scooted in closer to him and he caught a flash of her smug look when her leg brushed up against his bulge. She loved knowing that she could affect him so easily, even when she was asleep.

"Maybe more so. Especially when ties are involved," Lizzie said sultrily.

William leaned in close, leaving only a few inches between them.

"Would you like to try something?"

"As long as it involves you and your naked body."

William quirked an eyebrow at her blunt response but it didn't deter him. "I hope your patience is strong this morning."

He rolled away from her and swung his legs to the floor before moving the sheets off him. He only wore a pair of gray boxer briefs and it did nothing to hide his need for her. Lizzie's eyes were glued to his as he started to walk around the bed to the small room holding their luggage. It took him a moment to remember where he packed them but he found what he was looking for in a side pocket.

As he returned to the room, something soft landed on his head. He stopped and pulled it off, realizing it was the shirt Lizzie was wearing. She wasn't wearing it anymore. She was resting against the headboard with the sheet wrapped around her, twirling her underwear around her finger, and looking entirely too pleased with herself.

William grinned. He stopped at the edge of the bed and she flung the underwear at him, hitting him square in the chest. He didn't even flinch.

"What's in your hands?" Lizzie asked.

William unrolled two silk ties and held them up for her. Her eyes lit up at the realization of what was about to happen.

"There are stipulations to this, as there were when you used those handcuffs on me," William started and Lizzie nodded eagerly, all ready to go. "I don't intend to gag you, blindfold you, or even deprive you of pleasure. If you want to be untied at any time, you tell me right away. I brought the two softest ties I own for your comfort. This is your fantasy so you tell me what you want, but I will stop if I think you're not enjoying yourself."

"I love it when you talk dirty," Lizzie teased. Her smile faltered when she saw the serious expression on his face. "We've done things like this before. Why the concern?"

"Never while you were pregnant. I'm just trying to be careful."

"Okay, I get it. I love that you are," Lizzie said sweetly. She stretched her arms out for him and waited. "Now, get over here already before I lose my patience."

William chuckled as he began to crawl on his knees across the bed towards her. "Try sleeping next to someone writhing next to you and moaning your name and then talk to me about patience."

"Writhing?" Lizzie repeated as he paused in front of her. He reached out for her arm and brought it closer to him, kissing her wrist before he secured one end of the tie around it.

"You were squirming, at the very least." William took her other arm, pressed his lips to her wrist, and tied the other tie to it.

"I blame my hormones," Lizzie said. William leaned in and softly kissed her.

"Fair enough."

Lizzie waved her wrists around a little bit, looking at him. "This is ineffective when I can move around."

"Tell me what to do next, love," William replied, taking hold of her wrists. "What did our dream selves do?"

"We were far more comfortable with ropes than I care to admit."

"Tell me what _you_ want."

Lizzie's swallowed visibly, remembering those were the exact words he said in her dream. It turned her on even more and he focused on him as he offered a comforting smile, brushing his thumbs across her skin.

"Tie me to the bedposts and…have your way with me."

"Anything you want," William murmured. Lizzie propped up some pillows behind her, the sheet wrapped around her body falling a bit as she slid down against them. He took one arm and grabbed the end of the tie, tying her to one bedpost and making sure it was secure. He repeated his actions with her other arm and then scooted back as Lizzie gently tugged on each tie. Neither budged and she seemed satisfied. "Happy?"

"I'll be happier when you actually start _doing_ something," Lizzie said petulantly. William chuckled and dragged down the sheet wrapped around her until she was completely exposed. He bent down and kissed her, running his hand down her body from her neck to her breast. His fingers brushed across her skin and she whimpered as he massaged her. Just as her lips parted to deepen the kiss, he began pulling away a little to tease her. "You said you wouldn't deny me pleasure."

"Just making sure you're paying attention," William breathed before capturing her lips again. This time he held nothing back and his hands wandered over her body. She squirmed beneath him, bending her knees and hooking her legs around him. She was trying to bring him in closer to relieve the ache between her thighs the only way she could. He smiled against her lips and kissed her more passionately, moving down a little and pressing his arousal against her. She broke off the kiss and gasped and he began to leave a trail of kisses along her jaw and down her neck. He nipped at her neck and then dragged the tip of his tongue across her collar bone and back again.

William kissed his way down to the valley of her breasts and his breath skated across her skin. Lizzie's body jerked as he lazily circled his tongue around one nipple, taking his time. She moaned once he began flicking her with the tip of his tongue. He slid one hand down her body to between her thighs and kept his eyes on her, watching her reaction. She wrapped her fingers around each tie, desperate to hold onto something as he brought her pleasure. She moved her hips to the rhythm of his fingers and she was biting on her bottom lip as if she was concentrated on his touch.

"More," she whispered.

William placed a kiss on each breast and then slowly made his way south. He paused at her torso and looked up to her, flashing her a smile as she finally focused on his face. He pressed his lips to her stomach, like he had been doing for the past few months, and kept on his path. When he pulled his hand away, Lizzie groaned in frustration.

He chuckled while he settled between her legs, running his fingertips along the outside of her thighs "Don't worry. I said I wouldn't tease."

Before she could respond, he buried his face between her legs. The bed vibrated as she yanked at the ties, caught off guard by his quick actions. He held onto her hips to keep her steady and she hooked her legs over his shoulders. He stroked back and forth along her slick entrance with his tongue, occasionally switching to focus on her clit. He missed the feeling of her fingers in his hair but the sight of her pulling on her restraints and the noises she was making made him almost uncomfortably hard. She gasped as he brought her in even closer, dipping his tongue inside her. His teeth grazed along her clit and she dug her heels into his back, lifting her hips slightly off the bed. He heard her whispering 'yes' over and over again and felt her climaxing moments later. Her back arched, she cried out his name, and he could feel her pulsing around his tongue.

William watched her as pleasure coursed through her body and he slowly pulled away, sliding her legs off his shoulders. He sat up and quickly removed his only layer of clothing that separated them. Then he repositioned himself, sat on his knees, and rested her legs on his upper thighs.

"On or off?"

"What?" Lizzie was still coming down from her high and wasn't completely focused yet.

"On or off?" William nodded to her restraints, scooting forward until he was right against her entrance. He could feel a few twitches from her and he was throbbing to get inside her. He swore he saw a little grin from her as he did it and his lust began to overtake him. He asked one more time as he pushed a fraction inside her and her body jerked. "On or off, love?"

"On," Lizzie gasped. A growl rumbled from his chest and he pushed into her the rest of the way. He had control over both of them and it made him feel alive. Lizzie had been the one holding the reins these past few weeks, though he happily and willingly went along with whatever she wanted. Now, he was the one in charge. Watching her as she succumbed to his rhythm, rocking her hips in time with his own, got his blood pumping and power surged throughout him. He drove into her with all the passion he had and Lizzie moaned, gripping her restraints once more. There was a part of him that ached to hear her beg because it was music to his ears, despite his promise to not tease her. Instead, he slowed his strokes down considerably and used all the restraint he had to keep the torturously unhurried rhythm going.

"Will, don't you dare," Lizzie pleaded.

"Dare do what?" William slid his hand between his thighs and began to make tantalizingly slow circles around her most sensitive spot. She whimpered and bucked her hips, squeezing her legs around him to get him to speed up.

"Please."

William bent down and hovered millimeters from her lips. "Please what?"

Lizzie lifted her head and grabbed his bottom lip with her teeth, pulling until he groaned. "I…just… _Please_."

"As you wish," William said huskily before kissing her roughly. She glared as he broke the kiss and sat back up before slipping out of her. He lifted her slightly off the bed and moved forward so that her butt rested on his upper thighs. Then he slammed back into her and they both moaned. He held onto her hips as he drove into her, holding back nothing. Their skin glistened with sweat and their breathing was heavy while their bodies moved in sync. He was getting closer to release and it didn't helped when she kept clenching around him, using the only move she was capable of at the moment. His fingers dug into her skin and he concentrated solely on her. She was so close and his thrusts became more and more deliberate, which was exactly what she needed. Her breath came out in shaky bursts as she orgasmed. William couldn't hold back any longer and came moments later, groaning as the ecstasy rippled through his body.

His breathing was ragged but he felt more awake than ever. He bent down and placed kisses all over Lizzie's face, the corners of his mouth twitching up when he heard her soft purrs. Anxious to feel her touch again, he reached out and blindly untied her wrists from their bindings while he kissed her. As soon as she threaded her fingers through his hair, he closed his eyes and hummed contently. After a few moments, he gently pulled out of her and laid down on his stomach next to her, smiling at her when she curled into his body and kissed his shoulder.

"Did that live up to your dreams?" William murmured and Lizzie snickered.

"It was incredible," Lizzie replied, brushing her fingers along his overheated skin.

"Would you try it again?"

Lizzie shook her head. "I love touching you too much."

"I missed your touch," William let out a breath. "I think I could use a shower."

"Me too." Lizzie put a hand to her stomach. "I'm hungry, as well. My stomach is rumbling."

"Well, how about I order some breakfast while you get in the shower? I'll join you when I'm done," William suggested.

"Sounds good," Lizzie said, sitting up and looking back at him. "Be sure to ask to ask for some strawberry jam and toast, okay?"

"Another craving?"

"Baby likes the fruit. What can I say?"

"Then let's not disappoint Baby, shall we?"

* * *

The rest of Thursday was even more adventurous for them. They spent time in the clear blue waters surrounding the island, snorkeling with sea turtles and schools of fish. They remembered to bring an underwater camera and took some great pictures of the sea life swimming with them. For dinner, their housemen set up a romantic picnic on a nearby deserted island. Lizzie and William were left alone to enjoy their food and the silence that the island brought. They took advantage of their solitude to explore the tiny island but weren't daring enough to go further than making out on the beach. They witnessed a truly spectacular sunset, the sky painted with deep shades of reds and pinks, and they used it as the background for some pictures of each other. It wasn't until long after the sun disappeared over the horizon that their housemen returned to pick them up. It had been a long but memorable day and they couldn't wait to see what the next day had in store for them.

* * *

Over the next couple days, William and Lizzie indulged. Lizzie had a mother-to-be spa treatment, which included a prenatal massage, facial, and getting her nails done, and William was treated to a deep-tissue massage right by the water. They had custom-made meals all over the island. Breakfast in bed, lunch on a private cruise where they explored the surrounding islands, and a candlelit dinner on their veranda. Whatever they wanted, Omed and Jonathan were more than happy to accommodate them and only appeared when they were called.

It felt like they were the only ones on the island and Lizzie and William readily agreed that taking this vacation was just what they needed.

* * *

 _Sunday, June 17th (19 weeks and 2 days)_

Before they had even arrived on the island, Lizzie had made arrangements to have every meal for today include William's favorite foods. After he was so thoughtful on Mother's Day, she wanted to make sure his Father's Day would be just as special. She woke up before him and had breakfast set up on the end of their dock, under a large umbrella. Once the housemen left, she stood there for a few minutes, looking out on the horizon and watched the rising sun shimmer along the clear water.

She felt a flutter of excitement from the thought of celebrating future Father's Days with their son or daughter and she smiled to herself.

Another moment later and she felt something else.

She looked down and brought a hand to her stomach, hoping it wasn't a fluke. She held her breath and waited, gasping when she felt it again.

The baby was moving! She concentrated as the baby move again and it felt like bubbles rising to the surface and popping. Little twitches that weren't noticeable on the outside but unmistakenly were on the inside. It brought tears of joy to her eyes and she quietly laughed as the baby moved once more. She could barely describe her emotions. To finally have such a tangible sign that the baby was alive and growing was powerful.

Lizzie hurried down the deck towards the villa, throwing the doors open. William stirred at the commotion.

"Will! Will! Wake up!" Lizzie exclaimed as she climbed onto the bed.

"Wazhappening?" He lifted his head and rubbed his eyes before reaching for his glasses. "Lizzie? Is everything okay?"

"Everything's amazing," Lizzie said, wiping away a tear. "I felt the baby _move_."

"Wait, what?" William sat up and his gaze moved from her face to her stomach and back again. "Really?"

"Yes!" Lizzie said excitedly, bringing her hand to her stomach as she felt movement again. "Baby is moving right now."

"That's incredible." William rested a hand on hers. They sat still for a little bit and stared at her stomach, as if waiting for something dramatic to happen. William looked back up to her, with a sweet smile, and shook his head. "I can't feel anything."

"It's still early. It's so subtle right now."

"I'm patient."

Lizzie beamed. "Baby has awesome timing."

"Yea?"

Lizzie nodded and brought her hands up to rest on his cheeks, leaning in and kissing him softly.

"Happy Father's Day."

"I'd nearly forgotten. I'd say that first baby movement is about the best gift you could give me."

"I guess I don't need to do everything else I planned then," Lizzie teased and William raised a curious brow.

"You planned things?"

"Yea. Breakfast is waiting for you at the end of our dock."

William climbed out of bed and offered a hand to Lizzie to help her out as well.

"Let me put on a shirt and I'll be right there."

"Or," Lizzie paused, resting her hands on his chest and looked at him impishly. "Just come with me. I don't mind the view."

William laughed as she pulled on his hand. "You're incorrigible."

"I'm adorable and you love me."

"That I do."

* * *

After breakfast, they spent the morning in their personal pool, playing around and having fun with each other. Clouds began to roll in during their intimate lunch and they felt a few drops of water fall on them. Thankfully, the rain storm held off until after their housemen cleared things away and left them alone. William migrated to the hammock, thankfully covered by the overhang, and waited for Lizzie to return from their room. By the time she came back, the sky had opened up and it began to pour.

"So much for a sunny day." Lizzie said as she emerged. She changed to a thin white thigh-length shirt with a black and blue two piece underneath. William went for more simple and did away with his shirt, leaving him in only a pair of black shorts.

"Tropical storms do happen on occasion," William replied, looking out at the rain before returning his gaze to her. She had a package in her hand and he gestured to it. "What do you have there?"

"I got you something," Lizzie said. "But you gotta make room for me."

William and Lizzie had become experts on how to move in the hammock over the past week and positioned themselves to face each other. Lizzie promptly handed over the package once they were settled and he realized there was a card attached to it.

"Today is your day to do nothing," William said, reading the card out loud and then opening it. "Except me. Happy Father's Day." Lizzie tried to pull off her most innocent look and he snorted. She had written a little more underneath, telling him she couldn't wait to see him as a father to their baby and how much she loved him. He looked up and reached out to squeeze her leg. "Thank you. I love you, too. And I'll make sure to follow this card's instruction today."

"I would hope so."

William inspected the wrapped package for a moment before she nudged his side, impatient for him to open it. He tore off the wrapping off the box and dropped it to the ground before pulling the top off it. Inside was a leather bound book, similar to the calendar she gave him years ago, and a pen attached to the side. The front was embossed with 'My first calendar' in gold writing.

"Lizzie, this is beautiful," William said softly, taking the book out of the box and putting the box on the ground. He opened it up to inspect it.

"It's similar to your personal calendar. The first date in there is the day I found out about Baby," Lizzie said, brushing her hand across her stomach. "And it ends at December 2019 to signify the end of our first year with Baby. You can order the pages from the same company that you do now and I've added some of my own things to it. I thought you'd like to keep track of the big moments."

"I want to keep track of _all_ the moments." William flipped through the pages. Each page held only a few dates, leaving plenty of space for William to write without as much limitation. He looked at the first page and read Lizzie's entry. His heart expanded from her beautiful words when she found out they were going to have a baby. He noticed a few wordy entries and couldn't wait to read them on his own. Then he flipped to the current date and uncapped the pen before he started to write.

"What are you adding?" Lizzie asked.

"Hold on," William said as he was finishing. He capped the pen and attached it back to the journal before handing it to her.

 _-Informally celebrating Father's Day for the first time. Ecstatic over the realization that next year's celebration will be including our little boy or girl._

 _-Happily recording first baby movements today. So far, only felt by Lizzie but knowing the baby is moving is more than enough for me right now._

Lizzie lowered the book to her lap and looked at him fondly, moving her hand to one section of her stomach. "Baby's moving again. Now that I know what it feels like, I can't believe I didn't notice earlier."

"Maybe you did and you mistook it for something else?"

"That's probably it. Either way, it's amazing."

"I'm looking forward to feeling the baby move eventually," William said, pausing when thunder rumbled in the distance. "You know what I realized? We'll be finding out if we're having a boy or a girl at the end of _this_ week."

"That's right!" Lizzie's smiled widened and she was radiant at the thought.

"And then we can finally put an end to those office bets."

"I don't mind it so much. Everybody knows our story from my videos. They're just…enthusiastic about this news," Lizzie explained. "Besides, I know there's another one in my office about when I'll actually have the baby."

"I wouldn't put it past our friends to have that same bet going."

"Neither would I."

Lightning flashed nearby and a loud clap of thunder sounded from above. Lizzie was more startled than William and he caressed her leg to calm her.

"I think it's time we go inside, at least until the storm subsides," William suggested as it began to rain even harder.

"Yea, it's getting a little crazy," Lizzie said nervously as they carefully got out of the hammock. William put an arm around her waist and kissed her temple as he led them inside. She put his calendar down on the table before closing the side doors.

"Indoors is safer," William said as he closed the last door. He held up his card as she walked back over to him. "Besides, I need to work on my to-do list."

Lizzie snickered while she grabbed the strings on his shorts and began to play with them. She pulled him in closer and she arched her neck up to look up at him.

"I can help you with that."

William tossed the card onto the table and then leaned in and kissed her cheek while he slid his arms down her back. He cupped the back of her thighs and picked her up, his eyes gleaming with mischief.

"I was hoping you would."

* * *

Lizzie and William made the most of their vacation as it neared its end. On Monday, they took a day trip to the mainland of Belize and had a private tour of the Mayan Ruins. They spent the day at their own pace, seeing the ruins of Caracol, Lamanai, and others. Part of the trip included lunch on a small cruise ship as they were taken down the river. They didn't return to Cayo Espanto until the sun was going down and they were both exhausted. Lizzie spent most of the evening trying not to fall asleep so early since it was their second to last night but she lost the fight just after eight pm while she was laying on a deck chair by the pool. William ended up carrying her to bed and joined her a couple hours later.

Tuesday was their last full day of their trip. Lizzie and William spent most of the morning reading to each other as they leisurely rocked together in the hammock. After a wonderful lunch, they migrated inside to start packing before they left the next day. William kept unintentionally distracting Lizzie and they briefly abandoned their efforts to satisfy her carnal cravings. Later, Lizzie went swimming in their personal plunge pool and enjoyed the cool breeze. The sun began to set and sky was beginning to change colors when William came outside.

"Mind if I join you?"

Lizzie looked back over her shoulder and saw that William was dressed in her favorite pair of swim shorts that he owned, the blue ones that sat low on his hips to show off his V muscles and stopped a few inches above the knee to give her a peek of his muscular thighs. She flashed him an impish grin.

"I was hoping you would."

William came over and lowered himself into the water, wading over to her as she rested her arms on the ledge. He framed her body and kissed her shoulder.

"Beautiful sunset," William remarked.

"Mmhmm. They've all been stunning," Lizzie murmured. "It's a little sad it's our last one here. The time has flown by."

"It has."

"I'm going to miss this place."

William rested his chin on her shoulder. "You weren't disappointed with some of your restrictions, were you? You still enjoyed yourself?"

Lizzie leaned back into him a little and sighed.

"I've loved every moment."

"I'm glad."

"We'll have to come back here someday," Lizzie said once the sun hit the horizon.

"We should," William added. "Though if we came back to every place we've said that for, we'd be in an eternal loop."

"They're all so nice though!" Lizzie laughed.

"I know," William said warmly. "I still have so many places in the world I want you to see."

Lizzie turned in his arms and slid her arms around his neck, leaning in and kissing him softly.

"I look forward to those trips," Lizzie replied. "I'm really looking forward to our first real family vacation even though I know it's going to be a long time from now."

"The possibilities are endless."

"And that's one of the best parts about being with you."

"Having no limitations?"

Lizzie nodded. "It makes my world so much bigger because you're in it. And better."

"You make my world better, Lizzie." William brought a hand into the water and placed it on her stomach. "And we'll both do that for this baby. This baby is going to be loved to the fullest."

A big smile spread across Lizzie's face. "Indeed, they will."

* * *

William had a romantic candlelit dinner set up on the end of their dock for their last main meal. He even had music playing in the background as they ate. It was easily the best meal they had during the entire stay and Lizzie was practically ready to lick her plate by the end of it.

Afterwards, they slow-danced and William rested his cheek on the top of her head. It was a perfect way to end their trip and it became a memory they loved to reminisce about in the years ahead.

* * *

 _Wednesday, June 20th (19 weeks and 5 days)_

Lizzie and William woke up early for their long day of travel. They had a small breakfast before they said goodbye to their housemen, leaving them both a generous tip for all their hard work. Their helicopter arrived shortly after and the island staff was there once again to wish them a farewell. William set it up so that the helicopter would fly them over reef barriers as well as the infamous Blue Hole, the largest sinkhole in the world. It was the longest transfer back to the airport, but worth it for the pictures alone.

A private jet was waiting for them when they landed at the international airport and they were able to take off within the hour. Lizzie and William settled in for the six-hour flight, watching a couple movies together to pass the time. They landed in San Francisco in mid-afternoon, gaining back the hour they lost while in Belize. Lizzie was tired when they finally got home and she rested her head on William's shoulder in the elevator ride.

"I think it's nap time for you," William teased, watching the numbers above the door climb.

"You sounded just like a parent," Lizzie chuckled. "All you're missing from that sentence is 'little missy'."

"I'm practicing."

Lizzie lifted her head and smiled at him. "You're doing pretty well already."

The elevator dinged and they dragged themselves to their apartment. William dug around for his keys and unlocked the door, holding it open for Lizzie. She rolled her suitcase to the end of the hallway and went straight for the fridge to get some water. William came in and grabbed Lizzie's suitcase, taking their things to the bedroom. As soon as he disappeared, Lizzie double-checked Gigi's last message on her phone telling her everything was ready for her in the guest bedroom. She hurried down the hall and glanced inside, smiling at what she saw.

"Hey, Will?" Lizzie called as she walked down the hall. William appeared in the doorway a moment later and raised both brows.

"Yes, love?"

"Can you come with me?" Lizzie gestured over her shoulder to the guest bedroom.

"Sure," William said, following her towards the guest bedroom. She stepped in first and waited for him. "Five minutes home and you want to go over more…What's this?"

Set in the middle of the room was a wooden rocking chair painted white. It had gray cushioning with a white flourishing pattern all over it and big red bow placed on the seat.

"It's for you."

"Thank you? What happened to not buying anything yet?"

"Actually, I didn't buy it," Lizzie said and he looked at her in confusion. "Let me explain. Remember when Aunt Catherine emailed me shortly after you told her we're having a baby?"

"And you wouldn't let me read it all?" William frowned.

"Mainly because I didn't want to give away hints to this. She told me about when your parents announced they were having you and about this gift she gave them when you were born," Lizzie paused before gesturing to the chair. "A rocking chair."

"I vaguely remember a rocking chair like this when Gigi was little but it had different fabric. It was darker, with a red and purple pattern." William tried to recall from his memory.

"This is that chair," Lizzie said, looking at him. "It was in storage and I asked Gigi to help me out. The fabric wasn't in great shape. It was worn in some places and ripped in others. We went to a few different furniture places, but the fabric had long been discontinued. So we picked a newer, more neutral fabric, had it reupholstered and repainted, and Gigi brought it here while we were gone."

William looked stunned as he stepped towards the chair, running his hand across the frame and the fabric. "You did all this for me?"

"I wanted to give you some kind of connection back to your parents. They used to rock you and Gigi to sleep in this chair and now you'll get to rock our own child to sleep in it," Lizzie said tenderly.

"Thank you, Lizzie." William's voice broke. His eyes were glassy as he walked over to her, framed her face with his hands, and kissed her. Lizzie grabbed fistfuls of his shirt and clenched her eyes shut as she felt all his love flowing through the kiss. After a few moments, he pulled away a little and rested his forehead against hers.

"You're welcome," Lizzie whispered. "Want to try it?"

"Of course." William said. He took the bow off and tossed it to the side before taking a seat and sitting back in it. He closed his eyes and rocked back and forth, testing out the chair. Lizzie watched him and felt proud of how at ease he looked. After a little bit, he opened his eyes and patted his knee. She smiled and sat on his lap. She pulled her legs up, resting her head on his shoulder, and he hooked an arm around her legs.

"You like it?" She asked as he gently rocked them in the chair.

"No I love it," William replied. "And I love you for thinking of this."

"I love you too."

"This chair is going to get a lot of use," William said. "Along with that glider you want to get."

"It's comfortable! It's a must buy," Lizzie said matter-of-factly.

"Don't worry. We have plenty of room for both."

"I know," Lizzie said. "And just think, a little over twenty weeks and we'll be doing just that."

William sighed and kissed the top of her head.

"I can't wait."

* * *

 _Notes: We're so close to finding out if they're having a boy or a girl! Any guesses?_

 _Thanks to Sarah, as always. She always helps make my writing even better :)_

 _Extras will be posted on the dizzieslearningcurveseries tumblr!_


	12. Patience is a Virtue

Summary: Lizzie and William finally learn the sex of their baby while everyone else impatiently waits to hear what they're having.

* * *

Notes: It's a new month so new chapter! Sorry this took so long but thanks for your patience. Enjoy!

* * *

 _Friday, June 22nd (20 weeks)_

William returned to his regular work schedule the day after they came home from Belize. He had meetings lined up for most of Thursday, which had been delayed because of his vacation, and had no trouble getting back into the groove of things. Lizzie was surprisingly dealing with the effects of jetlag, despite the one-hour difference. William told her to take it easy when he saw how groggy she was, so she worked from home where she was still able to get a lot done. He checked in with her a few times throughout the day and brought dinner home, satisfying her craving for Greek food. After some downtime on the couch with William, she knew she'd be ready to return to the office the next day.

Lizzie woke up before the alarm on Friday morning. She simply couldn't sleep anymore. She was excited about her ultrasound at the end of the day and finding out the sex of their baby. When she and William went to bed, they spent a little time discussing more baby names. Only two names had been added to their actual list but it was fun looking up names with each other.

"Good morning."

Lizzie turned her head to see that William was also awake.

"Morning. How long have you been awake?" Lizzie asked.

"Not long. Just a few minutes." William turned on his side to face her.

"Any particular reason why you're awake before you need to be?" Lizzie asked playfully, despite knowing full well why he was. She saw a sparkle in his eyes as he took a moment to think of his answer.

"I have this feeling today is going to be a good day," William said, scooting forward and sliding his hand over to her stomach. His eyebrows shot up in surprise and Lizzie's eyes widened, understanding his reaction. She pulled the covers back to see that her stomach was no longer flat. She was finally showing. She actually had a little belly and was beginning to look pregnant for the first time. "Look at you. It's about time!"

"I didn't think my body would take 'growing overnight' so literally," Lizzie laughed as he rubbed his hand over her small protruding belly. "I hit twenty weeks and I get a twelve-week belly."

"Have you been on the forums and comparing pictures again?"

"For a bit, yesterday. I was curious and I had a little downtime," Lizzie said with a shrug, watching him as he shifted further down on the bed. "This feels like another stepping stone for us. Finding out I'm pregnant to the ultrasound to hearing the heartbeat to telling everyone. I finally felt movement this week and now we have more physical evidence I'm pregnant. And we find out if we're having a boy or girl today. I love each day more and more."

"Physical evidence," William echoed with a half-smile. "That sounds like something old me would say. And I love each day more and more, too."

He pushed her shirt up and bent his head down closer to her. She watched him for a few moments as he pressed light kisses to all over her skin before she ruffled his hair. "You like my little belly?"

William's half-smile turned into a full blown one, spreading his fingers across her skin. "I love it. Our baby is growing right here. I've been looking forward to this part for _weeks_."

"You and me both."

"You know, the app said that Baby should be able to hear noises outside the womb around now. Your voice would be the most recognizable but I'm hoping if I talk to your belly enough, I might be recognized as well."

"I would love that," Lizzie murmured, running her fingers through his hair.

"From now on, I'm carving out time every day just for this," William said proudly, kissing her stomach again.

Lizzie smiled. "I think that will be our favorite time of day then."

William's face brightened. "I love when you refer to yourself in the plural sense."

"I'm growing a tiny human right here so I count as two people right now."

The alarms on their phones started beeping almost simultaneously, breaking their moment.

Lizzie sighed, grabbing her phone from the nightstand and swiping the alarm away. "It's time to get up."

"It would appear that way," William said, sitting up and grabbing his own phone to do the same. Lizzie swung her feet off the bed and stood up. "We have to get ready for work."

"We could save time by showering together," Lizzie suggested as she rounded the corner to his side of the bed.

"That is almost never true," William teased back as she stopped in front of him and held out her hand.

"Excuse me, but are you turning down an offer from your pregnant and hormonal wife?" Lizzie scoffed.

William chuckled, grabbed her hand and stood up, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "I would never."

* * *

Lizzie's work day was relatively non-eventful, despite her return to the office. She had lunch with Andrea and Katie because she could tell they were chomping at the bit to ask her about her trip as soon as she walked in. She ended up not eating much of her lunch because they had asked her so many questions. Her afternoon was full of meetings and ended with a conference call that felt like it would never end. It didn't help that she kept glancing at the clock every five minutes until the call was over.

Twenty minutes later, Lizzie packed up, locked up her office, and left to meet William at the doctors. He beat her there by a few minutes, looking just as anxious as she felt as he sat on the bench outside, waiting for her. They kissed each other hello and went inside to check in. He stayed in the waiting room while they took her vitals and then the nurse called him back to join her in the room she set them up in, telling them the wait should only be a few minutes more.

"How was work?" William asked, sitting down on the chair next to the examining table.

"It was good, but it dragged. I think it was a mix of returning from vacation and wanting to get here," Lizzie said.

"Mine dragged as well," William replied. "I had a meeting with Edgar."

Lizzie grimaced. "The one who likes to talk your ear off about the most inane things?"

"That's the one. I would have been late if it weren't for Fitz."

"Thank goodness for Fitz then."

"Exactly," William said before his phone pinged. He pulled it out of his pocket and he snorted. "Fitz just texted 'hlp'." William showed Lizzie his screen.

"I bet he's texting under the desk without looking," Lizzie said. "Text Gigi to save him in a few minutes. He deserves that much."

"I'm doing that…now," William mumbled as he finished typing. His phone pinged within moments and he rolled his eyes. "She'll save him but she wants to know the baby's gender first."

"We'll see about that."

As he was sending another message, a female technician walked into their room. It was a young woman, about as short as Lizzie, with a severe black bob and a big smile on her face.

"Good afternoon! Sorry about the wait. I had triplets who wouldn't cooperate," she joked, shaking their hands as they said their names. She introduced herself as Fay and washed her hands before taking a seat by the equipment. "So we're here for your…thirteen-week ultrasound?"

Lizzie exchanged a quick worried look with William and shook her head. "Twenty."

"I'm so sorry! Hold on," Fay said, logging into the computer. "Right. Here it is. I misread it before I came in. You just look so tiny! Then again, most would after my last patient."

Fay began to explain that she would be looking for a number of things in the ultrasound, including checking the internal organs and making sure everything looked normal. All the results would be given to their doctor so she wouldn't be able to tell them anything. "Except the gender, if you'd like to know. As long as the baby is in a good position, we should be able to find out today."

"We want to know," Lizzie nodded quickly, smiling at William. Fay had her lie back on the table and Lizzie adjusted her clothes so her belly was exposed. Fay made small talk with them as she set everything up, asking the same questions the other technicians had asked them before.

"Okay, let's get started," Fay said. She squirted gel onto Lizzie's belly and pressing the transducer probe to her skin, spreading the gel. The click of a few buttons and their baby was on the monitor for them to see. William grabbed her hand as Fay began to take measurements.

"We can see so much more than the thirteen-week ultrasound," Lizzie said with wonder.

"The baby measures about the same size as a small banana at twenty weeks," Fay explained. "They would fit in the palm of your hand currently. You're right on track for size, so no worries there."

Fay moved the probe and the screen focused on the profile of the baby's head. As she took more measurements, the baby brought their hand close to their face.

"Look at that." William kept his eyes glued to the screen as the baby began moving their hand around.

"Baby is fascinated with their hand," Lizzie said softly. The baby wiggled around on the screen a moment later and she smiled. "I felt that."

"As the baby gets bigger, it's going to be more pronounced."

"I'm looking forward to that day," William sighed.

"You should be able to feel more soon," Fay said, adjusting the probe. "You're just getting into the stage where they will be more noticeable."

Lizzie and William were mesmerized as they looked at the details of their baby's profile on the screen. Fay stayed quiet as she went about her work, pressing buttons and changing angles. The wait seemed unbearable. Every time she paused to take screenshots, they thought she was going to tell them the baby's sex. She slowly moved the probe to capture angles of the baby's body to get what she needed but lingered when she was checking the baby's internal organs. Lizzie winced slightly as Fay pressed the probe a little harder into her stomach, moving it around as if she was looking for something.

"Is everything okay?" William asked, brushing his thumb across Lizzie's wrist to comfort her.

"The baby's not quite in the right position." Fay said, not elaborating. She moved the probe a few different ways but she didn't seem satisfied enough with the angles she was getting. After a little while, she moved on to take some more measurements of the rest of the baby.

"Can you see the sex?" Lizzie asked.

"Nearly done and then we'll take a look," Fay replied with a kind smile.

"What's a few more minutes?" William said to Lizzie.

"The more we get to see of Baby, I'm okay with it," Lizzie said softly. William looked at her affectionately and he pushed his chair in closer to the exam table as they watched the screen. It was a couple more minutes before Fay was finished with the exam.

"Alright, I caught a glimpse of the sex a little while ago but we're going to confirm it right now," Fay said, getting the probe into a good position. "Let's hope baby cooperates for this."

Lizzie squeezed William's hand and they kept their eyes on the monitor as they waited for Fay to show them the sex. After a minute of moving the probe around, Fay paused, pressed a couple buttons and froze the screen.

"There we are," Fay said, explaining what was on the screen. "You're looking at the legs from the bottom and then right here? Those little white lines?"

"Yea." They both said as they leaned in closer to the monitor.

"You're having a girl."

William straightened in his chair and Lizzie brought a hand up to her chest.

"You're sure?" Lizzie asked in disbelief, looking between her stunned husband and the monitor.

"Very. This…" Fay circled the sex on the monitor. "…is what we lovingly call the hamburger sign. It's a girl."

"We're having a girl," William repeated, his voice full of awe. Lizzie turned to him and she watched him as he lit up and the biggest smile spread across his face. It was the same wonderful smile she saw when she told him they were having a baby, with his dimples clearly showing and his eyes shining. She was sure her expression matched and she felt positively giddy.

"It's a girl," Lizzie whispered to him as he leaned in close to her. He nodded and brought his hand up to her cheek, wiping away a lone tear before kissing her.

Fay quickly tapped away on the keyboard, typing 'I'm a girl!' on the screen cap before printing a couple copies for them. She handed them, along with a sonogram strip of great shots of the baby, to William.

"Congratulations, you two," Fay said, grabbing a cloth and wiping away some of the gel on Lizzie's stomach before handing it to her. "You're all done! I'll give you a moment and you can leave when you're ready."

"Thank you," William said as she started to leave.

"It was my pleasure," Fay smiled before closing the door. Lizzie wiped away rest of the excess gel and then pulled her shirt down, putting the cloth aside. She shifted and her legs hung off the side as she faced William, who was still smiling widely.

"We're going to have a girl," Lizzie said with a happy sigh. "Guess my argument for those boys' names were all for naught."

"I wouldn't say that." William stood up and held out his hand to help her off the table. "You convinced me for any future boy Darcy."

"That's good to know," Lizzie said, grabbing her bag and sliding the sonogram pictures in.

"But right now," William started, putting his hand on her stomach. "We focus all our attention on her."

"I like the sound of that very much."

"Finally being able to use pronouns for our _daughter_?"

"Stop." Lizzie laughed gently and grabbed the end of his tie, tugging it a little. "You're going to turn me into a wreck."

"I don't think I can just yet," William rested his forehead on hers. "I'm so thrilled to finally know."

"Me too," Lizzie whispered. She closed the space and kissed him, continually playing with the end of his tie. After a moment, they pulled away and shared a happy look. "So, I say we eat."

"How about going out to celebrate? I'll follow you home and then I'll drive."

"Sounds good."

After Lizzie and William double-checked that they had everything, they left and headed to the parking lot. Lizzie took the lead as they drove home and William waited in the garage when she ran to freshen up and drop off her things. She returned with a bounce in her step and looking more radiant than before.

"Could we go to The Cliff House?" Lizzie asked.

"Sure," William said. "Call and see if you can get a reservation."

"It takes ten minutes to get there from here. I think we'll be okay this early."

"There's somewhere I want to take you first. It might take some time."

"No hints?" Lizzie asked, holding the phone up to her ear.

William shook his head and one corner of his mouth lifted as he kept his eyes on the road. Lizzie talked to the hostess, getting a reservation for an hour and a half later. Lizzie was unsure of where they were going but he seemed to know. After a few minutes, he started looking for parking and lucked out pretty quickly.

"Okay. Where are we going?" Lizzie asked, getting out of the car.

"It's just half a block down," William said, slipping his hand into hers. As they walked down the block, William's phone pinged a couple times.

"Aren't you going to check that?"

"It's just Gigi wanting to know if we're having a boy or a girl. She can wait until dinner tomorrow."

"You're delightfully evil." Lizzie bumped their joined hands against his hip.

William grinned. "Thank you."

"She might take to Twitter again," Lizzie reminded him.

"That was rather ineffective, wasn't it? It only riled up the natives. I was happily too busy," William said with a knowing look. "Besides, that was a different time. I'm sure she'll simply leave me a heated voicemail."

"Or two."

"That's the sacrifice I'll gladly make so you and I can keep this news to ourselves for a day."

"Our bubble," Lizzie smiled.

"Exactly," William said, slowing down. He glanced up and stopped, indicating that they were at their final destination. "We're here."

Lizzie glanced up to see that the marquee said 'That's Tot' before looking at the window display of various baby clothing and gear. "Will!"

William looked entirely too pleased with himself. "You said no purchases until we find out the gender. Well, we found out the gender."

"I didn't expect you'd want to go shopping two seconds later." Lizzie said.

"Fitz and I have driven past this place a few times on the way to a client," William told her. "I was curious and looked it up one night. They have more gender neutral choices than other stores. It's not all pink and blue, which is something we've both wanted very little of."

William opened the door and led them inside. Lizzie noticed a few other customers in the store and two employees welcomed them as the bell above rang. The place was spacious with brightly painted walls and tasteful baby décor all over them. There were racks upon racks of different colored baby clothes, separated by size. She noticed cribs and other baby equipment, including car seats and rockers, in the far corner.

"So you only gave us a little time to shop?"

"This is more of a celebratory purchase," William said with a twinkle in his eye.

Lizzie and William headed straight for the newborn section, noticing how diverse the collection was. Pink was still present for some of the onesies but it was used as an accent or for the lettering. Lizzie was delighted to be sharing this little moment with William and he looked just as thrilled to be there.

"Okay, this one is adorable," Lizzie said, holding up a white newborn-sized onesie that said 'Hello. I'm new here!' inside a pale green circle on the chest. She passed it to him and he held it up. She watched a sweet expression pass on his face.

"It's scary to realize she'll be this little," William said, looking at Lizzie. She gave him a curious look. "Scary in a good way, if that makes sense."

"I think…it's the thought that she'll be completely dependent on us."

"Yes, I think so," William said, glancing down at other onesies before looking back at her and bumping her shoulder. "I can't wait to hold her."

"Me neither," Lizzie sighed, briefly closing her eyes when he pressed his lips to her head. She resisted the urge to bring her hand up to her belly when she felt the baby move but smiled to herself. Then she found two onesies with 'Thing 1' and 'Thing 2' on the chest and pointed them out to him. "Remember when Charlie and Scarlett were this small?"

"I do," William nodded. "And when Charlie finally brought came from the hospital. They were so relieved. Bing let me hold him after he fell asleep and he was so little in my arms. I was afraid of waking him up and I was probably in that same position for nearly an hour before Bing took him back. I'm sure we'll find ourselves in plenty of those situations soon enough."

"Oh my god. This is a must buy for today," Lizzie said swiftly, picking up a purple onesie and holding it up.

"'Daddy's little girl'." William's face lit up as he read it out loud. "What about you? She's your little girl too."

"Oh, she's going to love me. We're already bonding," Lizzie joked, rubbing her belly. "I just happen to be closer with my dad and I want that for you and her too."

"I don't think you have anything to worry about. What everyone is saying will probably be true. She's going to have me wrapped around her finger."

Lizzie brightened. Her cheeks were starting to hurt from smiling so much but the occasion called for it. She brought a hand up and pressed it to the back of his neck, pulling him down for a kiss. They pulled apart a few moments later and lingered. "I'm happy you brought me here."

"I'm glad you like it," William murmured as his eyes darted to the clock on the wall. "We still have a little time before we need to leave."

"We've barely scratched the surface. I say we keep shopping."

* * *

Lizzie and William ended up buying four different onesies, including one that had a pattern of little black bows all over it. They made it to the Cliff House on time and ordered mocktails along with their meal for a little fun. Dinner was even more delicious than they expected and they could barely eat another bite. They took their dessert to go and William suggested they go for a walk on the beach. Lizzie readily agreed and they put their stuff in the car before heading down to the water. The weather was cool but not so much that Lizzie needed a jacket. They talked about how happy they were about having a girl and discussed baby names, all while walking hand-in-hand.

Once the sun had completely disappeared from the sky, the temperature dropped and Lizzie was ready to go home. They spent the rest of the evening on the couch, half-watching a movie but focusing more on looking up nursery pictures together. While they generally knew what they wanted, Lizzie insisted on research. She fell asleep on his shoulder and he carried her to bed before joining her soon after.

* * *

 _Saturday, June 23rd (20 weeks and 1 day)_

Lizzie woke before William feeling ravenous. She got out of bed and slipped on an oversized t-shirt, leaving her husband to keep sleeping. Grabbing her phone, she shuffled towards the kitchen and checked her missed messages, snorting when she noticed the missed calls from Gigi. When she got into the kitchen, she saw a name written on the message board and figured it was a suggestion from William. She looked at it for a moment before she grabbed eggs and some cheese from the fridge to start making herself some breakfast.

She was focused on preparing the food in front of her when she heard William's steps approaching. He came up behind her and slid his arms around her, laying his hands flat on her little belly and kissing the crook of her neck.

"How are my two favorite girls?"

"We're hungry," Lizzie said, playing along. She turned around and slid her hands up his bare chest, resting her arms on his shoulders. "How long have you been waiting to say that?"

"Probably the moment we found out about her," William replied, making Lizzie snicker. "How are you besides starving?"

"Pretty well rested, actually. I woke up and felt her moving a little so I took it as a sign we needed food," Lizzie said, her eyes darting to her stomach and back to him.

"Cheesy scrambled eggs?"

"Yep."

"Would you like me to do it?"

"You sure? I was nearly done with the cheese." Lizzie glanced over her shoulder to the small grated pile.

"It's fine. I'll make them. Have a seat," William said. Lizzie thanked him with a kiss and grabbed her apple juice, taking a seat at the island.

"So, Gigi has taken to pouting on my phone now." Lizzie said. "I've got a couple text messages and a voicemail from her."

"She was probably tired of hearing my outgoing message," William quipped. "She's never been a patient person. You're welcome to tell her she'll find out tonight, but she might pounce as soon as we walk in."

"She might pounce either way but I'll keep my mouth shut until then. She wants us to bring the appetizers for tonight, by the way."

"We'll go to the store later this morning."

"And I saw your name suggestion. Was that there last night?"

William turned around and looked at the name on the board before looking at her.

"Woke up in the middle of the night and that was in my head so I wrote it down," William replied. "Do you like it?"

"Cora? It's a very pretty name. It sounds Irish."

"Mmm. It would go with your literary choices. Cora is a character in _Last of the Mohicans_ ," William clarified. "I like the sound of Cora Darcy."

"Me too. It'll go on our list."

"It keeps growing," William said as he grabbed a bowl from the cupboard and started cracking eggs on the side of it. "We're going to have to eliminate names at some point."

"Eventually," Lizzie shrugged. William leaned against the counter as he mixed the eggs with the shredded cheese. "But we just found out she's a girl. Isn't this the part where we pour through baby name books and websites even with the names we've written down? We'll start seriously knocking names off the list in a month or two."

"I can agree to that," William said.

"Good," Lizzie said before finishing off her glass of apple juice. "What happened to breakfast? Your girls are starving."

William smiled. "Coming right up."

* * *

"You ready?"

William had his finger poised on the buzzer to Gigi's apartment building. He had noticed Lizzie was fidgeting and adjusting her outfit as they reached the front entrance and stopped. She changed three times before they left, wanting to look cute but comfortable. In the end, she chose a plain sleeveless black blouse with a blue cardigan that didn't show her off.

"You look beautiful. I don't know why you're fussing," William said and she shrugged, tugging at her blouse again.

"I'm not quite used to the stomach yet."

They were buzzed in and took the elevator to her floor. William barely knocked once before Gigi opened the door, greeting him with a glare and a hand on her hip.

"It's not nice to ignore your sister, _William_ ," Gigi said, emphasizing his full first name. Lizzie snickered beside him and Gigi whipped her head to her. "You either. I thought we were on the same team!"

"We brought you a housewarming present?" Lizzie offered with a toothy smile, holding up a bag of presents for everyone from their babymoon.

"Trying to win back my love with gifts," Gigi huffed. "Come in already. Charlotte and Sam are on the way over and Brandon and Lydia are in the kitchen. Fitz should be back from the store in a minute. I misplaced my bottle opener."

"We could have picked it up if you needed," William said as Gigi narrowed her eyes at him.

Something in Lizzie snapped at Gigi's petulance. Lizzie was going to be protective of her family, no matter what. Even if that meant telling off someone close to her in order to do it.

"You know what, Gigi? Don't take your annoyance out at him. Or me, for that matter. This is our baby. Our _first_ baby," Lizzie gestured between her and William. "We're more than happy to share news with you but we decide when. We wanted some time to ourselves once we found out. It will be the same when the baby is born. We'll want time to ourselves then too. You need to give us that."

Gigi's glare disappeared and she looked remorseful. "It's hard not to get caught up in all this. A baby is a big deal in this small family. But I'm sorry for pushing."

"I know, Gigi. I'm happy you're _energetic_ about it, but Lizzie's right. You need to give us time to digest our news and celebrate it ourselves before we bring you into it. I assure you, you're at the top of the list whenever we have something to tell you all," William said. Gigi looked a little deflated and he pulled her in for a hug. He rubbed one hand up and down her back, murmuring near her ear. "You're going to be a great aunt, you know."

"Thank you," Gigi said appreciatively as they pulled away.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"I am."

"Alright, I'm going to get the appetizers ready."

He glanced to Lizzie and she smiled at him before he disappeared into the kitchen, where other voices were coming from. Lizzie gave Gigi a reassuring pat on her shoulder and that was the end of it.

"Do you want a tour? You haven't seen the place since I've settled in."

"I'd love one." Lizzie nodded. There was a small room directly to the right of them that Gigi had turned into an office of sorts, with a skinny desk and chair tucked in. A wooden cabinet against the opposite wall held a hidden murphy bed. The pale-blue bathroom was the first door on the right side of the hallway and across from it were folding shutter doors that hid a washer and dryer, one of the many reasons why Gigi loved the place. A little further down the hall was the entrance to a fully equipped kitchen, updated with modern appliances, marble countertops, and white cabinets. William and Brandon were preparing food and talking to Lydia, who was sitting on the other side of the breakfast bar.

"Hey, sis! Lookin' good," Lydia waved. "Getting the tour?"

"Hello! I am. Keeping the guys company?"

"As always. I want to hear about the trip!"

"As soon as I see the rest of the place. Hi Brandon. It's nice to see you."

"Nice to see you too, Lizzie," Brandon said. "We're anxiously awaiting to hear the news. William's very tight-lipped."

"Shall we continue, Gigi?"

"Upstairs!"

"I see how it is!" Brandon's voice echoed as Gigi led her upstairs to the second level. The mezzanine den had two plush chairs and a table facing a television on the wall. It was just off the master bedroom and overlooked the living area on the first floor. The living room was furnished with a big plush couch facing a large fireplace, along with a smaller matching couch and wooden coffee table. The connected dining room had a long wooden table with eight chairs and beyond that was the breakfast bar with three stools tucked beneath them.

"I like this little set-up," Lizzie commented. "And the high ceilings are such a perk!"

"I love it. It makes me feel like I have infinite space," Gigi said, heading into the large master bedroom. A king-sized bed was against one wall and was framed by wood bedside tables with modern looking lamps. Beyond that was an enclosed and private deck with a few plants and plush furniture. Last but not least was the bathroom, showing off marble countertops, double sinks, and a moderately-sized tub shower.

"I love your decorating style, Gigi. This place is perfect for you," Lizzie said as they walked back out to the den. "It's so different than when we first saw it."

"It's fun to decorate a place from scratch," Gigi grinned. They headed back downstairs and met with Charlotte, Sam, and Fitz as they were coming in. The noise level in the loft grew as they greeted each before Gigi herded them down the hallway to the rest of the group. They all gathered around the breakfast bar and in the kitchen, catching up with each other.

* * *

Lizzie was full. Everybody had contributed to dinner and it was all so delicious but she couldn't eat another bite. Even after Charlotte brought out ice cream and cookies for dessert.

"Lizzie?" Charlotte asked, holding an empty bowl.

"No more room."

"William?"

"None for me, thank you," William replied. He stretched and rested his arm on the back of Lizzie's chair, turning to her. "How are you doing?"

"Pretty well," Lizzie said brightly, squeezing his lower thigh. "Thanks."

"I was thinking of passing out gifts. Now's a good time."

Lizzie nodded. "I'll help."

William cleared their places of dishes while Lizzie went to go get the bag of gifts she left by the door. Gigi caught on to what they were doing and sat up straighter in her seat.

"William and I got you all things from our trip." Lizzie returned and began passing the gifts around. "They're not much but there wasn't a lot of opportunity for souvenir shopping."

"That's nice of you to think of us," Sam said, smiling as she handed him a little box.

"When are we going to see the pictures?" Fitz asked. "The trip sounds amazing."

Lizzie laughed. "How about once everyone is done with their dessert?"

Lizzie handed Gigi a card and William took the empty bag from her, folding it up and putting it down. "Think of this as a housewarming present."

"No need to wait, guys. You can open them," William said.

He slid his arm around Lizzie's waist as their friends began to open their small gifts of various jewelry for them. Their gaze was more focused on Gigi as she tore open the envelope, pulling out a card with a house on the front. She opened the card to read it and moments later, she jumped out of her seat and let out a shriek of excitement. Everybody turned at the noise.

"Are you kidding?! Really?"

"Really," William confirmed proudly.

"Oh my god!" Gigi squealed, pressing the card to her chest as she bounced up and down. "I was hoping! This is so exciting!"

Lizzie and William laughed in delight as she kept bouncing, hugging them both as the rest of the group looked on in confusion.

"What in the world is going on?" Charlotte asked.

"Can I read it out loud?" Gigi asked Lizzie and William.

"Go ahead, Gigi," William consented.

"William and Lizzie gave me a lovely card and signed it…" Gigi paused for effect, holding it open to read to them. "Love from William, Lizzie, and Baby _Girl_ Darcy."

Everybody at the table jumped up from their seats in excitement and talked at once. Lizzie and William beamed at each other as the others reacted.

"A girl!"

"You're having a girl! That's awesome!"

"How exciting!"

"I won again!" Fitz exclaimed, getting a laugh from half the group. "I mean, I'm psyched for you two!"

"Nice save, Fitz," William shook his head in amusement. Fitz came over and clapped him on the back while Lydia, Gigi, and Charlotte practically pounced on Lizzie.

"But really, Darcy. I'm happy for you. You must be excited!" Fitz said enthusiastically.

"Beyond belief," William replied. "We would have been happy either way but there was a small part of me that hoped we would have a girl first."

"A small part of me too. Only Charlotte and I guessed girl," Fitz said, nodding to her.

"We're the smart ones," Charlotte joked, giving him a high five. "Have you guys decided on a theme yet?"

"We've only known for a day!" Lizzie said. "But we are respectfully asking you all to try and stay away from the pink." Gigi looked ready to protest. "I know it may be hard to resist, but we'd really like it if you make an attempt when buying whatever you're planning to buy."

"No pink _at all_?" Gigi asked, looking desperate.

"As long as pink isn't the primary color," William clarified. "We'd never say no to anything green."

"Can I ask for one more thing?" Gigi asked.

"Of course," William said.

"Any chance you have pictures from the ultrasound yesterday?"

Lizzie smiled slowly. "We do. Want to see them?"

"The word 'duh' comes to mind!"

* * *

Charlotte and Sam called it an early night after William had shown everyone pictures of their trip. Lydia and Lizzie were sharing the couch, catching up while the rest of the group was hanging around the breakfast bar. Every so often, she'd catch William's glance towards her way and she'd smile at him.

"So, is it weird to be off so many days in a row?" Lizzie asked. The musical _Nevermore_ had ended its run three days prior on the twentieth and the next musical production wouldn't be starting for another month. The theater was taking advantage of being dark and doing some much -needed renovations for two of out of those four weeks. The main crew, including Lydia, was given the time off with pay.

"It's pretty nice. I'm going to visit Mom and Dad for a few days. I missed Father's Day because of work and Mom has been pestering me since Mother's Day," Lydia said.

"So since I told her I'm pregnant?"

Lydia snorted. "Yea. I don't mind. I haven't seen them since the holidays. I'm sure she'll be expecting the scoop."

"Just don't tell her we're having a girl yet," Lizzie said.

"Like I'd give _that_ away," Lydia said. "Remember what she did to Jane?"

"Oh my god," Lizzie groaned, covering her face with her hands. When Jane and Bing let their mom know they were having a girl and a boy, she conveniently only focused on the first part and mailed Jane all her long-out-of-style baby clothes. Thankfully, Jane used her skills and made cuter clothes, as well as a blanket for each twin. "I can only hope she doesn't do that for us."

"I'm sure Jane would help you out."

"I bet. We're simply keeping Mom and Dad in the dark for a little longer…for their own good," Lizzie stated. "Either way, I hope you have a good time."

"I'm looking forward to seeing them."

"Don't hesitate to call me if you need a break."

"You know I will," Lydia grinned, bumping her shoulder with Lizzie. Lizzie bumped her back.

"Anything new on the Adam front now that _Nevermore_ is over?"

"Maaaybe." Lydia said evasively.

"Did I hear Adam's name?" Gigi asked, hurrying over to join them on the couch. "Spill."

"Okay, so we may have had a lunch date yesterday…"

* * *

 _Monday, June 25th (20 weeks and 3 days)_

On Monday, Lizzie and William's day started with a doctor appointment. Dr. Gates checked Lizzie out and told her she was right on track. Then she went over the ultrasound results with them.

"I have a couple notes from the technician," Dr. Gates said. She explained that the baby wasn't in a good enough position to see all the chambers of the heart and one kidney was slightly larger than the other. She assured them that the issue was fairly common and usually corrected itself before birth. She wanted them to have another ultrasound in eight weeks' time but was confident that everything would be fine. She also encouraged them to start discussing birth plans. Afterwards, Lizzie and William asked a handful of questions that she happily answered.

They went off to work and were busy the whole day, barely having time to think of little else. When William got home, Lizzie was in the kitchen cooking dinner and talking on the phone with Jane about the ultrasound results. William took over dinner and shooed her out, letting her talk to Jane for a bit more. She emerged from the bedroom ten minutes later and walked right into William's arms.

"Jane's excited we're having a girl," Lizzie mumbled into his shirt.

"I figured she would be."

"And she said not to worry about the kidney issue. Scarlett also had it and she was fine when she was born," Lizzie added.

"Bing said the same thing."

Lizzie quickly pulled away and looked up at him.

"I called him on the way home," William confessed. "We think alike, you and me."

"It's funny that even after the reassurance from the doctor, I feel better when hearing about it from my sister," Lizzie mused.

William bent down and kissed her forehead. "I have a feeling everything is going to be just fine."

"Me too."

* * *

 _Tuesday, June 26th (20 weeks and 4 days)_

Lizzie and William met with Fitz and Gigi after work, wanting to try a new Thai place that opened up in Gigi's neighborhood. They talked about possible plans for the upcoming Fourth of July, debating between going down to the wharf to watch the show or using Lizzie and William's balcony. Lizzie was hoping for a quieter affair like they had in the past, knowing that things could get hectic. Fitz and Gigi also offered their services to clear out the rest of the furniture in the guest room so Lizzie and William could decorate.

Once dinner was over, they said their goodbyes and drove home in separate cars, having come straight from work. Lizzie beat him by thirty seconds and teasingly gloated all the way up the elevator ride. He thought she looked too cute as she did a little celebratory dance that he merely watched.

"It was sheer luck you got here before me."

"You would have beat me if you hadn't let that person ahead of you," Lizzie concluded as they walked into their apartment.

"I'll try to be less polite next time," William joked, hanging up his coat and undoing his tie.

"Whatever you think will work," Lizzie said. "I'm going to go change. Maybe we can watch a movie?"

"Sure. I also wanted to show you something I've been looking at."

"Okay. I'll be right back," Lizzie said, taking his tie off his neck to bring to the bedroom. He chuckled as she swayed her hips while she walked, knowing he was watching her.

William grabbed his tablet and set on the couch, pulling up what he wanted to show her. Almost ten minutes went by but she hadn't returned. William got up and headed to the bedroom to see what was up. He found Lizzie sitting on the end of the bed with her hand pressed to her stomach, her expression focused.

"Lizzie?"

She looked up and smiled.

"Hey, sorry. I got distracted. Did you want to show me something?"

"I did." William walked over and sat down next to her, handing her the tablet. "I was planning on trading in my car. I wanted to show you what I'm thinking of getting."

"Oh yay. Car talk," Lizzie said flatly. A little over a year ago, Lizzie's car troubles reached a peak. Expensive parts needed to be replaced and it barely passed the smog test. William insisted she needed to get a new car but she was being overly stubborn on the matter. He left out dealership magazines for her to look at, sent her emails on sales coming up on certain cars, and a couple dealerships even called her after her supposed inquiries. William slept on the couch for the last one. It wasn't until her close call where her car broke down in the middle of an intersection that she gave up the fight. She said goodbye to her old car and bought a new one, much to the relief of her husband.

"It's a sore subject, I know," William said. "I don't want to think about what _could_ have happened to you."

"I'm sorry. We both went about it the wrong way," Lizzie admitted before looking at the tablet. "So, I thought you liked your car? It's only four years old."

"It's a fine car but I want something a little better for the baby," William said, pulling up the page.

"A Tesla. Fancy."

"Specifically the Model X," William said.

"Are those _wing_ doors?" Lizzie's eyes widened. "Like in _Back to the Future_? Is that necessary, Will?"

"I was debating on the models and saw the unveiling. It's rather convenient for your tall husband," William pointed out, playing that part of the video. "I won't have to bend down as much for the car seat."

"Oh, I like that," Lizzie murmured, watching the video. After a moment, she smiled and brought a hand to her belly. "I think she does too."

"She's moving again? Do you think I'd be able to feel her yet?"

"Probably not? She's moving just enough for me."

"You're just rubbing it in my face now," William said playfully and Lizzie snickered.

"Yes, that's exactly what I'm doing, Will."

"Lie down and I'll have a talk with her."

Lizzie moved on the bed and fluffed the pillows before lying down. William put the tablet down and shifted until he was close to her raised stomach, resting his hand on her. Then he cleared his throat as Lizzie watched in amusement.

"Hello there, my little girl. This is your dad speaking," William started, gently tapping on Lizzie's stomach. "I want to ask you a question."

Lizzie giggled and he glanced up at her through his eyelashes.

"Your stomach moves when you laugh. This is helping none, Mrs. Darcy," William said as the corner of his mouth twitched up.

Lizzie took a breath. "Sorry, Mr. Darcy. Continue."

"As I was saying." William brought his gaze back to her stomach. "Why are you only moving for your mom and not for me? I want to feel you move, too."

Lizzie let out a little gasp and William looked up.

"You can't feel that?"

William rubbed her belly for a moment and then shook his head. "No."

"Keep talking."

"Do you know how much I love you, my girl? I love you as much as I love your mom," William said while he caressed her stomach with his thumb. "I can't wait to tell you the stories of us. She had my heart from the beginning, just like you do. I think you're going to be as beautiful as your mom, too. She always takes my breath away."

Lizzie pressed her lips together and wiped away a tear before she reached down to run her fingers though his hair. He smiled up at her and then kissed her belly.

"Is she still moving?"

Lizzie nodded. "Feels a bit like she's doing somersaults."

"Are you having fun in there? Are you playing around for Mom?" William continued. "Do you like it when I talk to you? You're going to hear from me every day. I promise, baby girl."

"You're being so adorable right now," Lizzie teased.

"I'm only going to get worse when she's born," William said.

"You hear that, baby girl? Your dad's going to be embarrassing!" Lizzie said in a sickly sweet tone and William laughed.

"Don't tell lies to our baby," William narrowed his eyes at her. He put his lips close to her stomach. "Your mom is just being silly."

" _Both_ your parents are silly people, baby girl."

"I'm silly?"

"It's part of the reason I love you so much. You put on a wig for me, even after you were uncomfortable," Lizzie reminded him.

"I was smitten. I would have done anything you asked."

"And that's why our baby is going to be spoiled. She'll look up at you with big doe eyes and you'll crumble."

"I think I did pretty well with Gigi."

"Yea," Lizzie agreed. "But there's a difference between your fourteen-year-old sister and your three-year-old daughter asking for a pony."

"You're going to have to help me out."

"As long as I don't have to be the bad parent all the time," Lizzie snickered, ruffling his hair. Her cell phone started ringing and she realized she left it on the further bedside table.

"That's a promise I can keep," William said as he stretched out to get it for her. He looked at the screen. "It's Lydia. Isn't she visiting Thomas and Fran?"

"Yea. I said she could call anytime," Lizzie nodded as he handed her the phone. She answered it. "Hey Lydia!"

"Lizzie?" Lydia's voice was crackling and breaking up. There was too much noise in the background and Lizzie couldn't make out anything.

"Lydia? You're following who? I can barely hear you," Lizzie said, covering her other ear and getting up from the bed. She took a few steps and everything cleared up. Lydia sounded frantic.

"Lizzie! I'm following the ambulance! It's Dad!"


	13. The Ticking of the Clock

_Summary: One phone call changes everything_

* * *

 _Tuesday, June 26th (20 weeks and 4 days)_

William had a small number of days he never wanted to relive. The day he found Gigi and George together. The day Lizzie rejected him so harshly. The day of his parents' death. Despite how happily it had started, today was quickly joining the ranks.

The look of panic on Lizzie's face as she was talking to Lydia nearly sent him into a panic himself. She was in shock, staring at the phone when the call ended. It was eerily similar to another time so long ago and he knew he had to take care of her. He sat her down and she told him what she knew. Her father had collapsed in the middle of a restaurant and he was being rushed to the hospital. She had no idea what condition he was in. William made the swift decision that they would leave for Santa Rosa immediately. He threw some clothes and essentials in a suitcase for them, while Lizzie called Jane and Bing.

William drove the hour and twenty minutes to their destination, hoping to shave even a little time off of that. Every minute that passed without knowing anything was excruciating. William could see the pain in Lizzie's eyes and he knew exactly how she felt. He had experienced this before too and he hoped that this time would be different than the last.

They arrived in Santa Rosa just before nine pm, heading straight to the Kaiser hospital. William entered the parking lot and got stuck behind a car going five miles an hour. There was a space up ahead but Lizzie lost her patience, groaned in frustration, and unbuckled her seatbelt before resting her hand on the door handle.

"Lizzie…" William said nervously, tapping on the brakes.

"Just go! We're almost there!" Lizzie urged.

"I'm watching out for you," William said softly. She looked at him with those lost eyes and let go of the handle. He was finally able to pull into the spot and turned off the car. He reached over and squeezed her hand in comfort. Lizzie nodded and blinked back the tears, refusing to let them fall.

They got out of the car and he hurried over to her side, holding out his hand. She grabbed it with both of hers as they headed towards the entrance, following the signs to the E.R. waiting room. When they walked in, Lydia was pacing back and forth in front of her mom, who was sitting in a chair and staring off into the distance.

"Lizzie!" Lydia hurried over to her, pulling her in for a hug. William went to check on Mrs. Bennet, who had yet to react to their arrival.

"Fran," William said softly, crouching down in front of her. She turned and looked at him. Her eyes were red-rimmed but she still managed to smile at him.

"William," Mrs. Bennet whispered. "How nice of you to come."

"Of course we'd come," William shook his head. "Fran, do you know anything?"

"He collapsed," she said, not elaborating.

"Mom, what happened?" Lizzie asked, sitting down in the chair opposite of her mom.

"We were goin' out to dinner to celebrate Lydia bein' here. He'd been lookin' forward to her visit and wanted to do somethin' special so we went to this quaint little place that opened up a few months ago. We'd been hearin' about how good the food was…" Mrs. Bennet rambled. Lizzie looked to Lydia in desperation.

"He had a heart attack," Lydia interrupted. "He was quiet on the way to dinner but…no more than usual. He looked so pale though," Lydia hugged her own arms. "He kept bringing his hand to his chest. I thought it might be heartburn. He stood up to excuse himself just after we were seated and then …crumbled to the floor."

"Lydia, have you heard anything? Talked to a doctor?" William asked, standing back up.

"Maybe fifteen minutes ago," Lydia said. "Basically telling us that it was a heart attack and he's stable. They're doing tests right now to figure out why it happened."

"Stable?" Lizzie repeated. She sat up straighter in her seat and William relaxed a bit. A heart attack was serious but it was still a relief in his mind. They were not out of the woods, by far, but Thomas Bennet was still here. It was already better than that nightmarish night fourteen years ago.

"He's okay for now?"

"For now," Lydia nodded. "We were told to wait and that it would probably be a while." She wiped her face with the back of her hand. "I'm glad you're here."

Lizzie beckoned her over, urging her to sit. "We wouldn't be anywhere else."

William's phone buzzed and he quickly dug it out of his pocket, seeing Bing's name flash on the screen.

"Bing. I'll be right back," William promised Lizzie. He took one last glance at them before turning the corner and answering the phone.

"Darcy! Please tell me good news."

"Thomas had a heart attack," William replied. He repeated what Lydia had told him and realized how little he actually knew. Bing let him know of his travel plans. Jane was taking a red eye and would be there in the morning and he would be not far behind, once his parents arrived to take care of the twins. They talked for a minute more before hanging up.

William leaned against the wall and rubbed his hands down his face. Long dormant feelings were waking up and he felt the panic rising. He tamped it down and focused, knowing he needed to be strong for Lizzie. He unlocked his phone and called Gigi, letting her know about the situation. There was something about the tone of her voice that was soothing to him and helped his anxiety. She promised to take care of everything back in San Francisco and he promised to keep her updated.

He felt a crack in his chest when he walked back into the stark waiting room. Lydia had moved to sit next to her mom and her head was on her shoulder. Lizzie was still sitting across from them, fidgeting with her hands. They looked lost as they waited for news and he felt completely helpless. His shoes squeaked across the linoleum floor as he rejoined them, sitting in the uncomfortable burnt orange chair next to his wife. Lizzie blindly reached for his hand and he held it tightly as she rested her head on his shoulder.

A television was mounted to the wall and airing the local news on mute with closed captioning on. A clock was next to it, loudly ticking away every second and providing enough noise for the ones waiting in chairs. A nurse came in and William saw hope flash across Fran's face, which quickly faded as the woman walked right past them to a couple in the other corner. He kept his focus on Fran a few moments more, noticing some of the same little details that he saw in his wife. There was no doubt of their relation. Their expressions were identical with their little forehead crinkling just between their eyes and the shape of their downturned lips. Fran shifted in her seat and William looked away, feeling intrusive.

Lydia murmured something to her mom and she shook her head. Lydia frowned and was obviously not happy with her response. She caught William's gaze and he looked at her curiously.

"Do you need something?" William asked.

"Mom should eat," Lydia insisted. "She didn't have dinner."

"You missed it too," she pointed out. "I'm not hungry."

"I just heard your stomach growling," Lydia said, giving her mom a no-nonsense look.

"I can go out and get something," William offered, glancing up at the clock to see it was ten forty-five. "I'll ask to see what's around here that's open."

"You don't have to," Mrs. Bennet said weakly, not really putting up a fight.

"Do you want me to go with you?" Lizzie asked, looking at him. There was no light in her eyes and he felt a pang. He shook his head, needing a second before speaking.

"Stay with them," William replied. He squeezed her hand and kissed her temple. "I'll be back soon."

William asked a man at the desk what was currently open around the area and he was given a map of the nearest restaurants. There was a Carrows across the freeway open until three am and went there. He ordered a couple club sandwiches and garden salads and waited as they were made. Lizzie texted him that they were getting news and to hurry back, making him almost want to abandon his order. It only took a couple more minutes to get the food but the time dragged nearly as much as it did when he was in the waiting room. When he returned, he barely caught a glimpse of the doctor as he left.

"What happened?" William asked and all three women turned their heads towards him. Lizzie made a beeline for him but he couldn't read the expression on her face.

"He's being admitted to the cardiac unit," Lizzie said. "They did some tests and discovered he had a heart attack because of blocked arteries. He's going to get some rest and the doctor will discuss surgical options in the morning. He says the best thing for this case would be bypass surgery."

"Open heart surgery?" William asked in disbelief.

Lizzie nodded and her eyes began to water. "There are a couple options apparently. We'll know more in the morning."

"So, nothing else?"

They all shook their head. William put the bags down on the table beside him and took a deep breath, not quite sure what to do with the news.

"Do you want to go back to the house, Mom?" Lydia suggested.

"I'm not goin' anywhere except to my husband's room as soon as he's moved. You three should go," Mrs. Bennet said. She grabbed her purse and dug around, pulling out the keys and handing them to Lizzie. "Go back to the house and get some sleep. Come back in the mornin'."

"Mom, we should be staying with you," Lizzie pressed.

"You shouldn't be alone," Lydia added.

"Don't be silly, Lydia. I'll be with your father," Mrs. Bennet dismissed. "And you need your rest, Lizzie. You're pregnant. I will not have you sleepin' in hospital chairs when there's a perfectly good bed you can use at the house. Tell her, William."

"Will," Lizzie urged, her brows furrowing as she looked at him.

"I'm sorry, Lizzie. I'm with Fran on this one. You and the baby need rest," William replied tenderly. "I'll take you and Lydia home and bring you right back here early tomorrow morning."

"Fine," Lizzie said curtly, turning to her mom. "You call us if anything happens between now and then."

"You know I will, dear," Mrs. Bennet assured. "Now go. There's no point stayin' here right now."

Lydia gave her mom a tight hug and then grabbed one of the bags of food, heading outside to wait for Lizzie and William.

"Fran, make sure you eat," William said gently, squeezing her arm in comfort. She nodded and managed a fraction of a smile.

"Take care of my girls," Mrs. Bennet implored and he smiled, giving her a hug. He left the room, to give Lizzie and her mom a few moments alone. He walked outside and found Lydia, standing by the curb kicking at a weed growing out of the sidewalk.

"Lydia?"

She turned at the sound of her voice and she wiped away a tear from her cheek. He took another step forward and repeated her name more softly.

"Did it hurt this much?" she asked.

William thought about it for a moment before answering honestly. "More so. In my situation, it was…final."

Lydia looked down and shook her head. "How did you get through it?"

"I just…" William searched for the words before shrugging. "…did."

"It's not fair."

"It rarely is."

"I wish…things had been different for you," Lydia said.

"Me too," William exhaled. "This time will be."

Lydia stared at him for a long time, as if analyzing what he said. Then she smiled faintly and nodded. It provided him the barest amount of relief that he could comfort her, even with how she was feeling.

Lizzie walked out a few moments later and William brought them home. Lydia offered to sleep on the pull-out couch so that Lizzie and William could have the guest bed. Lizzie was too tired and accepted without challenging the gesture. He brought in their luggage into the bedroom and went into the bathroom to get ready for bed. When he finally came out, Lizzie was sitting on the edge of the bed wearing her pajama bottoms but holding the shirt in her hands. He said her name.

She turned and looked at him with the saddest expression, making him feel sick to his stomach. He closed the distance between them and sat down next to her, reaching out and caressing her thigh.

"I just wanted to see him," Lizzie's voice quavered. "They _say_ he's stable. They _say_ he'll make a recovery. They _say_ these things but it's not the same as _seeing_ him. I just needed to see for myself that my dad is going to be okay."

William could feel her frustration and he put an arm around her as tears began to slide down her cheeks. "First thing in the morning."

"It's not soon enough." Lizzie buried her head in his shoulder.

"I know it's not, love. I know," William repeated, his hand caressing up and down her back. There was little else he could say. She clung to him as he laid them back on the bed. She had held it together until this moment and he was impressed by the strength that she showed for her mother and sister. The only comfort he could provide was being there for her and letting her cry.

The sobs slowed down after midnight and were eventually replaced with her even breaths of slumber. While he felt comfort that she was sleeping, he laid awake for a while more, listening to the ticking of the clock on the bedside table. Seconds and minutes passed by him as his mind drifted to thoughts of Lizzie's father and the last few hours. It was well past two am before he gave into his exhaustion.

* * *

 _Wednesday, June 27th (20 weeks and 5 days)_

Jane showed up at the house just before seven in the morning, waking everybody up. She looked worn out and anxious but she was relieved once William filled her in while Lizzie and Lydia made breakfast. Mrs. Bennet called and told them the doctor would be discussing the plan with her soon so they should return soon. William got them all in the car shortly afterwards and drove them to the hospital.

The cardiac unit was on the third floor and the whole elevator ride was quiet. Lizzie stuck to William's side, holding his hand like a lifeline. They checked in at the nurses' station, where a nurse told them the room was down the hall and around the corner. Mrs. Bennet was out in the hall, talking to the doctor.

"Just in time!" Mrs. Bennet said on seeing them. "Dr. Parsons just got here. These are my daughters and my son-in-law."

William stopped so he could hear the explanation. Lizzie arched her neck to peer into the room to get a glimpse of her father. She squeezed William's hand, letting him know she saw him but stayed to listen to the doctor.

"As I was telling your mother, there are a few options on how to proceed now that we've assessed the damage. In this case, he has more than one blocked artery and I want to go in and fix that immediately. What I would normally do is a coronary bypass, but with his age, it would be a long recovery."

"He can handle it. My father is strong," Lizzie said adamantly.

"As I've witnessed yesterday, yes," Dr. Parsons agreed.

"What's the alternative?" William asked.

"Minimally invasive heart bypass surgery," Dr. Parsons answered. He began to explain what the procedure was and what the benefits were. There would be a shorter hospital stay, smaller risk of infection, and quicker recovery.

"What about the cost?" Mrs. Bennet asked.

"Mom," Lydia said softly, coming up to her side.

"It's considerably less."

"Mom, we should do it. It sounds like it's best for Dad," Jane advised.

"I'd like to perform the surgery sooner than later," Dr. Parsons said and William could sense the urgency in his voice.

"Can you give us a moment?"

"Yes, ma'am. I'll be at the nurses' station," he said, walking away to give them privacy.

William spoke up. "Fran, you don't need to worry about the cost. Whatever it is, I'll take care of it."

"Bing and I can help too," Jane offered.

"You shouldn't have to worry about money on top of this," William added.

"You're too kind," Mrs. Bennet began to protest.

"Fran, please," William said. "Let us help you."

Mrs. Bennet finally agreed and Jane and Lydia followed her to talk to the doctor again and get more information. Lizzie let go of William's hand and slid her arms around him, giving him a hug.

"Thank you," Lizzie whispered into his shirt. He pressed his lips to the top of her head before they pulled away.

"You don't need to thank me," William murmured, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Your family is my family. _You_ are my family."

"And I'm working on making it bigger," Lizzie half-heartedly joked and William smiled, brushing his hand across her stomach. He saw Mrs. Bennet beckoning him over out of the corner of his eye and he held up one finger, letting her know he'd be there in a moment.

"You are," William brushed his fingers across her cheek. He turned her around and faced her towards the room, bending his head down and speaking close to her ear. "Now, go see your dad." He gave her a tiny push and she shot him a grateful look before walking into her father's room.

William helped Fran, going over the consent form and filling out some paperwork with her. She shooed him away when she was done needing his help and he returned to the waiting room. Lizzie was already sitting in the room and he was sure he had only been helping her mother for less than ten minutes. He sat next to her and looked at her curiously.

"He was sleeping. I didn't want to wake him."

"Did it help?" William asked softly.

"Only a little," Lizzie said, a little dejectedly.

William put an arm around her and she leaned into him while they waited. Mrs. Bennet returned soon after and everybody sat up straighter in their seat.

"They're takin' your father up to surgery soon," Mrs. Bennet informed them. "I was told it was going to be quite some time."

"Until they're done?" Jane asked.

"And until we can see him."

All three sisters exchanged frustrated glares and then Lizzie said what they were all thinking.

"So, all we can do is wait."

* * *

It had been nearly three hours since her dad had been taken by a surgical nurse and Lizzie was going stir crazy. She wasn't the only one. Her mom hadn't said much of anything since he was wheeled away. Jane kept checking her phone for Bing's arrival. Lizzie saw Lydia discreetly wiping tears away on two separate occasions.

William was the rock amongst them. Getting her to the hospital as quickly as possible, taking care of her as well as her mom and Lydia last night, making sure they were getting rest and eating. She would have been a mess without him. It wasn't lost on her that he knew what to do in this situation because he had been through it himself. He had to be hurting too with memories of his own parents' death being dredged up. On top of that, he and her dad had become close over the years, bonding in a female-dominated family. The fact that he was being the strong one for her made her love him that much more.

Seeing her dad was not as comforting as she hoped it would be. She had always seen him as invincible. Of course, he joked about getting older, but she never saw it. It was difficult to process the sight before her when she walked into the hospital room. There were wires everywhere, sticking out of his hospital gown and his arm, and there was an oxygen tube tucked under his nose. The smile he usually greeted her with was absent as he lay there asleep, looking paler and weaker than she'd ever seen him. Barely more than a minute passed before she felt the overwhelming need to leave again, furiously wiping her cheeks dry and feeling like a terrible person for not handling it well.

The first break of silence came from Jane, whose phone jingled. She apologized, set it to silent, and then checked her message.

"Bing just landed," she said to nobody in particular and stood up. "I'm…going to get some air and wait for him outside. Come get me if you learn anything between now and then?"

"We will," William assured her before he looked to Lizzie. "Do you want something to eat?"

"I'm not that hungry," Lizzie said.

"You should still eat. Baby needs nourishment," William advised gently, taking her hand. Lizzie felt the baby move at his words and it was like her daughter was unconsciously agreeing with him.

"Nothing too heavy," Lizzie said, giving in. He subtly smiled and nodded, leaning in and kissing her temple.

"Lydia?" William called her name and she turned her head their way, her eyes still a little red from crying. "I'm going to get some food for everyone. I could use an extra pair of hands. Would you mind coming with me?"

"Yea, alright," Lydia replied hoarsely, standing up. William brushed his hand across Lizzie's leg and gave her a warm look before getting up. She knew what he was doing. William guided Lydia out of the room and his hand hovered near her lower back for support. Lizzie and her mom were left alone in the surgical waiting room. The only noise was the quiet chatter of the two receptionists at the desk around the corner, the tick tock of the second hand, and the occasional phone ringing.

"Did you know you were my easiest pregnancy?" Her mom spoke up out of nowhere. It took Lizzie out of her trance of staring at the fish tank in the corner.

"What?" Lizzie asked in confusion.

"You were my easiest," Mrs. Bennet repeated. "I had mornin' sickness with Jane every day for five and a half months straight. Lydia made me fiercely dizzy and I gained forty pounds. But you? Barely a symptom. I didn't even realize I was pregnant until I was three months along."

"I was tired in the first trimester," Lizzie told her, getting up from her seat and sitting down next to her mom. "Not much else. I only just started showing too."

"And you're glowin', sweetheart. Your hair is getting' so full. Pregnancy agrees with you," Mrs. Bennet complimented and Lizzie smiled at her. "Your father was always tellin' me how pretty I was, even with all the weight I gained. You should have seen his face every time I told him we were havin' a baby. He was beyond overjoyed. With Jane, he went out and bought a crib the next day. He didn't actually put it together until five months later, though."

Lizzie chuckled. "I've never heard this before."

"You remember details at the strangest times," Mrs. Bennet said wistfully, her gaze seemingly focusing on the floor.

"Mom?" Lizzie said after a minute had passed. She finally turned her head to look at Lizzie and smiled at her, but it didn't reach her eyes.

"You were my easiest labor too."

Lizzie reached out and took her mom's hand. For once, she wanted her mom to keep talking about the subject she loved to ramble about so often. She had been so quiet over the past day and listening to her as she told Lizzie these stories was distracting her from thinking about her dad's surgery.

"I was in labor with Jane for thirty-six hours and half of that was back labor. I was pushin' for so long. It was exhaustin', to say the least. But then they put your sister in my arms and I forgot all about that pain I had just endured." Mrs. Bennet said. "There's nothing else in the world quite like holdin' your baby after waitin' all those months. You can easily get lost that moment."

"I bet," Lizzie murmured, remembering just how excited they got over hearing the baby's heartbeat and first movements. It would be so much _more_ once their baby was born.

"It was an adjustment to go from two of us to three of us but somehow, we figured it out," Mrs. Bennet sighed, pausing for a few moments. "She was a bit like Lydia before you came along."

"Really?"

"She was a rambunctious toddler. It's surprisin', I know," Mrs. Bennet chuckled. "But it's true. Half the reason I didn't realize I was pregnant with you for so long was cuz I was busy runnin' after her all the time. She didn't calm down until you came along. She immediately went into big sister mode as soon as we brought you home. I think she was waitin' for you."

Lizzie smiled at that.

"And then with you? Five hours from start to finish. I pushed for maybe ten minutes before I heard your cries," Mrs. Bennet continued. "No matter how many babies you have, the first time you hear them cry is precious."

"And Lydia?"

"Fourteen hours. That little troublemaker decided to take her sweet time. She was nearly two weeks late and I almost had a C-section with her," Mrs. Bennet shook her head at the memory. "She had this gunk in her lungs when she came out and we didn't hear her cries for two whole minutes. Probably the worst two minutes of my life."

 _Up until now_ , Lizzie thought. The amount of waiting they had been doing over the past twenty-four hours was wreaking havoc on her emotions. She couldn't imagine how her mom was feeling.

"And your dad was there for every second. I don't know how I would have gotten through those hours without him by my side," she said, her voice shaking a little. Lizzie squeezed her mom's hand, patiently waiting for her to continue. "He was smitten with all of you, but I knew from the very beginning that you and your dad had a special relationship. You were his girl, through and through."

"How so?" Lizzie's voice broke as she began to cry. She was hating her hormones right now.

"After I held you for a bit, the nurses took you to clean you up and you were just cryin' your head off, hatin' every second of it. They wrapped you in a blanket and placed you in his arms and it was like magic. You stopped cryin' right there and then. I still remember that moment like it was yesterday. You just stared at him for what seemed like forever, hangin' on his every word," Mrs. Bennet paused for a moment, trying and failing to keep her emotions in check. Tears began to slide down her cheeks. "From then on, I knew. He could calm you down like nobody else. I could rock you girls to sleep with ease, but he'd get those tears to stop in moments."

What she would give for her dad to be sitting next to her right now and do exactly that.

"Both your dad and I could get Jane to stop crying and Lydia was happy with anybody who held her, but you always seemed most content in your dad's arms," she sighed. "You know your first real word was "Daddy"? When you learned to crawl, you'd crawl faster towards him, especially when he came home from work. Your first steps were towards him. You'd take his hand when crossing the street, every time. He's never said it but I know you're his favorite."

"Mom." Lizzie wept at her admission. Why did it feel like her heart was breaking? "You know I love you, right? I'm sorry if I haven't said it enough."

"Oh, I know you do, sweetheart," she said roughly, wiping away some of Lizzie's tears even though it was pointless. They were streaming down their faces. "A mother knows their child's love. You came to me first for so many other things. I've never thought you loved me any less just because of how close you were with your father. I had _hoped_ one of you would have that kind of bond with him, Elizabeth. All parents have different relationships with their children. Just like you and William will with your child."

"Girl," Lizzie told her mom. Despite their initial decision to keep the gender from her for longer, Lizzie didn't see the reason anymore. It seemed like a paltry concern to keep her mom in the dark when they were dealing with much bigger issues. It actually felt good to tell her mom. "We're having a girl."

"A daughter," Mrs. Bennet brought a hand up to her chest and sighed. "You and William must be delighted."

"We are," Lizzie sniffled.

"Your dad's going to be pleased to know he's getting another granddaughter."

"I just want to tell him," Lizzie whispered.

"You will soon, Lizzie."

"He's going to get through this, Mom. He _has_ to," Lizzie said adamantly.

"He better. I'm not ready for anythin' else." Lizzie looked at her mom, catching the fear in her eyes. Lizzie pulled her in for a hug, hoping it would help at all. Her mom slid her arms around her and began rubbing her back just like when she was little. It took all Lizzie had not to start sobbing all over again. It was the type of embrace only a mother could give and it was exactly what they both needed.

"Did something happen to Dad? Is he okay?" a voice asked anxiously.

Lizzie and her mom pulled apart to see Jane standing there with Bing right next to her, seemingly holding her up by her arms. They must not have heard them coming in. The expression on Jane's face was one of worry and panic.

"No, we haven't heard anything," Lizzie said, taking a deep breath and wiping her cheeks. Bing handed her and Mrs. Bennet tissues.

"Lizzie and I were talkin'. We just got a little caught up. We must look a mess," Mrs. Bennet said, dabbing her face with tissues before standing up. "It's good to see you, Bing."

"You too, Fran. I wish it was on better circumstances," Bing replied, hugging her. Lizzie stood up and moved to Jane's side. She slid her arm around her waist and they shared tired smiles.

"I'm positive my husband will be just fine," Mrs. Bennet said, lifting up her chin. Her face may have been puffy and her eyes red from crying but Lizzie felt a sense of pride for her mom. "Now, come sit with me. William and Lydia should be back with food soon and we still have plenty of waitin' to do. I'm sure you have new pictures of the twins to share?"

Bing took a seat next to her and took out his phone. "As a matter of fact, I do."

* * *

Lizzie awoke with a start.

She didn't even remember falling asleep. One minute she was talking to Jane and the next, she was lying across three chairs with her head in her eldest sister's lap.

"Hey sleepyhead," Lydia said with a smile, sitting across from her. Lizzie sat up and stretched out before looking to Jane.

"Did I fall asleep while talking to you?" Lizzie asked.

"Mid-sentence," Jane nodded.

"Oh god," Lizzie groaned. "I'm so sorry."

"Don't be. You're pregnant," Jane waved it off. "I once fell asleep at my own fashion show."

Lizzie chuckled at her confession. "What time is it?"

"A little after four."

"That long? Wait…Dad!" Lizzie grabbed Jane's arm. "What happened?"

"He's out of surgery."

"He did really well," Lydia and Jane said at the same time. They went on to explain that he got out of surgery a couple hours ago and was brought to the recovery room. Lydia took their mom back to the house to freshen up and get a change of clothes. They returned in time to hear the news that he had woken up and was taken to the ICU but visitors wouldn't be allowed for at least another hour. Now, their mom was talking to a nutritionist and getting advice on changing their dad's daily diet after Dr. Parsons strongly recommended it.

"Where are William and Bing?" Lizzie asked, noticing they were missing.

"They're making arrangements for a home health care nurse for Dad once he's able to go home. Bing and William suggested that Mom may need help during the first few weeks and we agreed that it would be a good idea. Mom shouldn't have to go through the extra stress," Jane explained.

"That's…a great idea. I missed so much," Lizzie said gloomily, frowning a bit. "Why didn't you wake me up?"

"William and I were pretty insistent on letting you sleep," Jane said. "I doubt any of us got a lot of it last night."

"You were kind of dead to the world. I probably could have drawn a mustache on you and you wouldn't have woken up," Lydia teased and Lizzie stuck her tongue out at her. Lydia flashed her a smile and then stood up. "I'm going to get something to drink. Want anything?"

She took her sisters' requests before leaving the room.

"Things have been so hectic here that I've barely had a chance to ask how you are," Jane said sweetly. "So…what's new?"

"I've been feeling the baby move. I'm surprised I didn't feel her sooner because she's getting stronger." Lizzie brought a hand up to her stomach. "I think she's what woke me up."

"That was one my favorite things about being pregnant," Jane said pensively. "Even when one was using my bladder as a trampoline and the other was kicking my ribs. It was my reminder that they were alive and growing in there. Can William feel the movement yet? Bing could feel them so early."

"Because you had twins!" Lizzie nudged her shoulder and Jane laughed. "He hasn't. I can tell he's getting anxious to though."

"Hopefully, he won't have to wait much longer," Jane said. "I heard you're banning pink from the wardrobe."

"Did Lydia tell you that?"

"Mom, actually."

"Funny, I didn't tell her as much," Lizzie said. "I'm merely asking everyone to _limit_ the color. I'm pretty sure my fashionista sister can figure something out."

"I may have something up my sleeve." Jane smiled. They sat there in silence for a few minutes before Lydia returned, giving them bottles of water and sitting down next to Jane.

"It's times like these I wish you were closer," Lizzie said.

"Yea. It's hard to not miss you every day," Lydia added.

"I miss you both so much too," Jane said, taking Lizzie's hand. "I'm thankful everything turned out the way it did. I was so scared the whole plane ride here."

"I don't want to think about what could have happened," Lizzie sighed.

"It was terrifying enough to see Dad collapse like that," Lydia admitted in a whisper. Jane reached over, squeezed her knee in comfort, and Lydia rested her head on her shoulder.

"You know, I can picture Mom going into Dad's hospital room and blaming him for ignoring her poor nerves," Lizzie began, trying to think of something lighter.

"And he'd insist that he was thinking about them this whole time," Lydia said, catching on to what she was doing. "Remember when Mom gave him a hard time about supposedly forgetting her birthday?"

"Yes!" Lizzie and Jane laughed.

"He had that trip planned for months and he just let her go on and on," Jane reminisced. "And once she was done, he showed her those tickets and she practically fainted."

"That's Dad for you," Lizzie said softly.

"Girls? Girls!"

Mrs. Bennet hurried into the room with William and Bing closely behind her. The look on their mom's face was eager and they all sat up straighter in their seats.

"What's up, Mom?" Lizzie asked.

"Your dad's off the ventilator!" she said excitedly. "He can have visitors now!"

* * *

"Lizzie, your dad is askin' for you."

Everyone was sitting in the hallway outside of her dad's room, waiting to see him. The ICU had a rule that only one person at a time could be in the room so as not to tire them out. They all agreed that Mrs. Bennet should go first while Lizzie impatiently sat there. When her mom came out and told her of his request, her heart leapt to her throat and William gave her an encouraging smile. She stood up and walked into his room.

Nearly twenty-four hours after hearing the news, over an hour of driving, three different waiting rooms, and too many tears, Lizzie heard the one thing she had been dying to hear: her father's voice.

"Hi, Lizzie."

His voice was hoarse from having been on a ventilator and he looked weary. It was still difficult for Lizzie to see all those wires sticking out of him and connected to the surrounding monitors. Then, a gentle but confident smile from her dad and it comforted her as she approached the chair next to his bed.

"Hi, Dad," Lizzie breathed a sigh of relief as she sat down.

"How are you doing?"

"I think that's my line."

"We know the answer to that one," Mr. Bennet said jokingly.

"I'm doing…well." Lizzie replied. "All things considered."

"I'm so sorry that I've put you all through this," he said softly. Lizzie felt the threat of tears and she hated that she was so emotional right now. She had cried more in the past two days than she had in the last year. "I never wanted to upset you so much."

"Dad," Lizzie shook her head and looked down at her lap.

"Those tears better not be for me. Your mother gave me quite enough of them."

Lizzie laughed, wiping away a rogue tear. "You can't really tell a pregnant woman not to cry."

"I suppose it's a futile request." Mr. Bennet offered his hand and Lizzie took it. "This is temporary."

"I know," Lizzie nodded and exhaled. "You're going to get better. You'll get out of here and be back to your old self in no time."

"With a few lifestyle changes, of course," he said. "It sounds like there's going to be a lot of tofu in my future."

"That's not so bad," Lizzie said. "I know some great recipes."

"If that's what I have to do to ensure that I'll be around for you and that grandchild." Mr. Bennet pointed to her stomach. "I'll do it."

"Granddaughter," Lizzie amended. His expression softened and she squeezed his hand as a smile spread across her face.

"Wonderful. Simply wonderful," Mr. Bennet beamed. "Don't worry. I'll be around for this granddaughter."

"She's eager to meet you, Dad." Lizzie rubbed her little belly.

"As am I," Mr. Bennet murmured. His eyes drooped a little and he took a deep breath. "And don't you worry. I've hidden all your baby clothes."

Lizzie was taken aback. "You did what?"

"After your mother mailed Jane all her baby clothes, I took the steps to ensure she wouldn't do it again with you and Lydia," Mr. Bennet explained. "Now, if you _do_ want them…"

"No, Dad," Lizzie chuckled. "That's fine, thank you."

Lizzie could see that he was getting tired but was trying to hide it.

"Dad, as much as I want to stay here, you need your rest," Lizzie said. "And you have two other antsy daughters outside."

"Would you mind sending Lydia in here?" Mr. Bennet requested.

"Of course, Dad," Lizzie said, patting his hand before she stood up. "I'll be back to see you again soon."

He smiled gently. "I look forward to it, Lizzie."

* * *

Her dad fell back to sleep soon after Lydia and Jane each had the chance to speak to him. William told her that he was happy enough with her getting the chance to speak to her dad and he would wait until the morning to see him.

It took some convincing to get her mom to come back home but everybody insisting that she would sleep easier in her own bed. The guys took care of dinner and cleaned up afterwards. As it got late, Jane and Bing checked into a hotel nearby while Lydia stuck with the pull-out couch at home. Despite the long nap Lizzie had in the afternoon, she felt herself getting tired as the night wore on. William sent her to bed. Despite her exhaustion, spent nearly an hour tossing and turning before finally falling asleep.

* * *

 _Thursday, June 28th (20 weeks and 6 days)_

The morning proved to be somewhat hectic for Mrs. Bennet and her daughters. Mr. Bennet had been moved from the ICU to the cardiac unit after Dr. Parsons was happy with his improvement. Everybody seemed to have things to do in preparation for Mr. Bennet's release in a couple days but William was the first to offer keeping Mr. Bennet company since he had had so little time with him up until then. So, for the first time since Tuesday, he found himself alone and sitting by his father-in-law's bedside as he slept.

The room was quiet, with the exception of the constant beeping of the heart monitor and the ticking of the clock, which William began to find comforting. He spent some time answering some emails until a nurse came in to change the IV bag and Mr. Bennet woke up right after she left.

"William? How long have I been asleep?" Mr. Bennet hit a button for the bed so he could sit up and talk to William.

"Maybe a little over an hour. I didn't want to wake you."

"Where's Fran? And the girls?"

"Lydia is with Bing out grocery shopping for you. Jane, Lizzie, and Fran are meeting with the home care nurse," William explained. "They should be back in a bit after they have lunch."

"Did you draw the short end of the straw?" he joked.

"I'm happy to be here, Thomas."

"Good, good." Mr. Bennet said absently. "William, I want to thank you."

"For what?"

"For being there for the family the past few days. I know it couldn't have been easy for you, all things considered," Mr. Bennet said softly, pausing for a few moments. "Both Lydia and Fran have told me how much of a help you were to them. And I know you're always there for Lizzie."

"Thomas." William leaned forward in his chair, resting his elbows on his knees. "You don't need to thank me."

"I'm still grateful," Mr. Bennet reiterated. William's lips twitched up but didn't break out into a full smile. "You might not think it's much but I do. Offering to pay for my hospital bills and setting up a home care nurse? That's above and beyond caring."

"No, it's not at all. I don't want you and Fran to have to worry about the money, especially since you're going to be off work for at least the next month. The nurse will help you in your recovery and make sure you're back on your feet sooner than later. I would have done the same thing for my own father…and you're the closest I have to one now."

"I'm honored that you think of me as such. Fran has thought of you and Bing as her own sons for years now."

"I know," William smiled. "I suspect Gigi appreciates calls from Fran more than she lets on."

"We're both happy she's back from London."

"As am I. Especially now with Lizzie being pregnant," William said. "I want my daughter to be surrounded by as much family as possible. You and Fran will be her only grandparents so you've got to show her twice as much love."

Mr. Bennet chuckled softly. "Fran has enough love to fill an entire house so I think we've got you covered."

"Good," William said simply.

"And how are you doing, William?" he asked. "Are you excited to be a father?"

"I am," William started, exhaling. "Honestly, I think I'm ninety percent excited and ten percent terrified."

"I don't know a single parent-to-be who wasn't terrified in the beginning," Mr. Bennet said. "Myself included."

"Really?" William said with surprise, looking at him.

"Oh, absolutely. I was terrified I wouldn't be a good enough father or the right role model for my girls. In the first few months with Jane, I was nervous just holding her. Bath time was completely nerve-wracking," Mr. Bennet admitted.

"Does that fear ever go away?"

"It…changes. Just because my daughters are married or living on their own doesn't mean I don't stop worrying about them or their safety. I'm sure you're the same with Gigi."

"That's true."

"Can I give you some fatherly advice?"

William smiled a little and nodded. "Please do."

"Ignore what people try to tell you. There are plenty of people who are going to want to give you tips on how to raise your baby. They think that because they're parents, they know what's best for you and your family," Mr. Bennet said, pausing for a few moments. "But what works for one child may not work for yours. You're going to figure it out. Trust me on that."

"Thank you, Thomas."

"It's my pleasure," Mr. Bennet murmured, resting his head back on the pillow. William noticed him wince a little and it put him on alert. He knew he'd be dealing with a lot of pain from his surgery but he didn't want him to have to suffer more than he needed to.

"Can I get you anything?"

"I believe my pain medication is beginning to wear off," he answered, his voice more drained than before. "I've pressed the call button but nothing."

"Let me see what the hold-up is. I'll be right back."

As William got up, Mr. Bennet cleared his throat and he looked back before he thanked him again. William gave him a reassuring look and shot his words right back at him.

"It's my pleasure."

* * *

 _Sunday, July 1st (21 weeks and 2 days)_

During the latter half of Thursday, Mr. Bennet was encouraged by the nurse on duty to get out of bed and start walking short distances. Lizzie and her sisters took turns helping him out. He was able to complete a full lap around the nurses' station by the end of the day without overexerting himself.

The next couple days were much the same way. His walks lasted longer and his energy levels were slowly rising. It would still be a few weeks before he would be back to normal, but Dr. Parsons was pleased with the speed of his recovery.

The Bennet family got the best news they had heard all week on Saturday evening: Mr. Bennet was being released from the hospital on Sunday morning. Everybody had prepared for his inevitable trip home already and were anxious to get him out of the hospital.

Jane and Bing planned to fly back to New York after they brought him home. This unplanned trip had officially become the longest amount of time spent away from the twins. Bing's parents stepped up, all too happy to look after them for as long as they needed. They checked in daily throughout the week with the twins, which became a highlight for Mrs. Bennet as well.

William and Bing stayed at the hospital with Mrs. Bennet while Mr. Bennet was getting one last check-up with Dr. Parsons. Once he gave the all clear, they started the process of releasing him. It was nearly noon by the time William was wheeling Mr. Bennet down the hallway towards the parking lot and he could feel the weight being lifted off his shoulders. He could only imagine how much better Lizzie felt compared to the beginning of the week. It seemed like a life time ago.

Bing waited in the parking lot and they both helped their father-in-law into the car, making sure he was comfortable before Bing drove them back to the house. It was hard not to keep asking Mr. Bennet how he was doing every few minutes but William kept himself busy by texting Lizzie throughout the drive.

Mr. Bennet was greeted with a welcome home banner, balloons, and three very eager daughters when he walked through the door.

"Welcome home, Dad," all three girl chorused happily as William and Bing guided him to a chair.

He smiled at them as he sat down, exhaling softly. "It's good to be home."

* * *

Jane and Bing left for the airport after lunch. Lydia planned to stay until the next day, thankful for her vacation. Lizzie set a goal to get on the road after dinner but it took William much longer than that to actually get her in the car. She was hesitant to leave her dad, despite the help from the very sweet home care nurse, Yolanda, who was already proving her worth. William understood her predicament, but he wanted to get her home and into their own bed. She hadn't been sleeping well for most of the week, tossing and turning and even waking up a few times throughout the night. It was the end of a stressful week and he wanted her to have a good night's rest before going back to work the next day.

Their goodbyes took more than an hour and unfortunately didn't get on the road until just after nine pm. The drive home was uneventful and quiet for the most part. The atmosphere was much different than the drive there. The tension was gone but William still wanted to comfort her. He could tell something was on Lizzie's mind as she stared out the window for most of the trip. He occasionally reached over and squeezed her knee to reassure her that everything would be okay. She'd turn and smile back at him but the smile didn't quite reach her eyes. She gave him space when he was like this so he would do the same for her, knowing she'd let it out eventually.

With a small bit of Sunday night city traffic, William pulled into their parking structure just after ten thirty at night. He unloaded the car and Lizzie walked beside him, still in her quiet mode. When they got into the apartment, they found the mail lying on the dining room table for them and a note from Gigi. She had taken care of things for them and she was glad to hear Lizzie's father was doing so well. Lizzie mumbled that she was going to take a shower and shuffled down the hallway, towards their bedroom. William spent some time going through the pile of mail before going to grab a bottle of water from the fridge, only to find out that Gigi had done some grocery shopping for them. He'd have to thank her for all her help. As William headed towards the bedroom, Lizzie came out with a pile of clothes.

"Are you starting a laundry this late?" William asked.

"Just putting it in the laundry room," Lizzie replied over her shoulder, barely pausing. "Shower's free."

"Thanks," William said, watching her until she turned the corner. He forced himself to move. It was getting late and he wanted to get in the shower before bed.

He took his time in the bathroom, especially after he skipped the last few days of shaving. He guessed that it had to be well after eleven by the time he was done. When he walked out, he was surprised to see that Lizzie wasn't in bed. In fact, she wasn't in the bedroom at all. He found her in the living room, sitting on the couch with her laptop, and only one lamp on to give her light.

"Lizzie? What are you doing?"

Lizzie looked up at him for a second before returning her gaze to the screen.

"We're not prepared."

William frowned. "Not prepared for what?"

"For an emergency."

William realized exactly what had been bothering her. He joined her on the couch and put his arm around her

"You want to do this now?"

Lizzie looked hard at him. "When do you suggest we do this? I don't have anything ready. I don't have a will or an advance directive on file. What if something should happen to me? Or the baby? Or both you and me? We don't even have a guardian for her."

William's heart began to hurt for her as she kept going.

"Do you even know what do to if I got into an accident? Or that I'm registered as a donor? I don't know any of this stuff for _you_." Lizzie pressed a finger to his chest. "Why haven't we talked about this before?"

William sighed. "We haven't needed to."

"But we should." Lizzie's voice was small for a moment.

"Lizzie…"

"We need to be prepared. We should know if one of us wants extreme measures taken after an accident or if nothing should be done," Lizzie said adamantly.

"You want nothing?" William asked softly.

Lizzie shook her head and her eyes began to glisten. "I don't want machines keeping me alive. I can't bear the thought of you holding on longer than necessary when there's _no_ chance of me getting better."

"I wouldn't want that for you either," William admitted, reaching over and brushing a tear from her cheek. "In the very rare event that something should happen to us."

"But it's kind of hard to say that considering what's happened to my dad and your parents," Lizzie said quietly.

William looked at her for a few moments, trying to figure out what to tell her. Then he took her computer and set it on the table. Lizzie turned towards him and he grabbed her hands.

"You're right. It's a good idea to have all of this written up and filed for emergencies. We _should_ be knowledgeable of each other's wishes in medical emergencies. I honestly don't know why we never talked about it before…but starting this conversation late at night is not the best idea," William said. Lizzie started to protest and he stopped her, squeezing her hands and giving her a smile. "I'm going to call my lawyer in the morning and he can meet with us so we can get this all taken care of. I haven't updated my will since you've become pregnant and I want the baby in it. How does that sound?"

"It sounds like a good plan," Lizzie nodded.

"Do you have any idea of who you'd want as guardian?"

"Not in the slightest. There's Jane and Bing and then I think that if they raised her, she wouldn't see my parents often enough. It would be hard for Gigi if she was still alone. Same with Lydia. I honestly don't know if Charlotte and Sam want kids," Lizzie shrugged. "It's so difficult to choose the people who would be best for hypothetically raising our little girl."

"Yea." William looked down, brushing his thumbs across the tops of her hands. "It is but we'll figure it out. Lizzie, how long has this been bothering you?"

"Since my mom basically admitted the other day that they don't have a will or anything else. It was after we met with Yolanda. If my dad hadn't…" Lizzie replied, pausing and visibly swallowing. "If things had been worse, it would have been a _mess_. We gave her an earful and sat her down at the computer to get some of this done."

"Where was I?"

"Being a wonderful husband and sitting with my dad at the hospital," Lizzie said, smiling a little. William brought a hand up to cup her cheek before leaning forward and kissing her forehead.

"I had a good talk with him so I'm glad I was there," William murmured. "I wish you talked to me about this earlier instead of letting it eat away at you."

"I know," Lizzie sighed. "It's been hard to think straight this past week."

"Is there anything else you want to talk about?"

"There's a lot, really. We haven't discussed a labor plan or how much time we're going to take off or what we're going to do afterwards."

William exhaled.

"That is also a sooner-than-later conversation. How about we carve out some time next weekend and figure that all out?"

"That works. I mean, we're already using the weekend to clear out the room," Lizzie reminded.

"Perfect. Next weekend is all about Baby," William said with a hint of a smile.

Lizzie nodded. "One more thing."

"What's that?"

"Can we go to bed? I'm so tired."

"Yes. That was the whole reason I came out looking for you."

William helped her off the couch and led them to the bedroom. It barely took any time to get ready and then William followed Lizzie into bed, curling up behind her and sliding his hand to her stomach. He pressed a soft kiss to the crook of her neck and she hummed happily, feeling her relax against him for the first time in days.

He was all ready to fall asleep when he felt a small nudge against his palm.

"Wow," Lizzie said, mostly to herself. "Baby's got good timing, waiting until I'm in bed."

Giddiness started to bubble up inside him but he waited before he said anything. Then it happened again. A little nudge! He wasn't imagining it. He was feeling the baby move.

"Lizzie…"

"It's fine. She's probably trying to get…into a…good position," Lizzie said slowly before flipping around and looking at him expectantly. "Did you?"

William nodded eagerly. "I think I did!"

William reached over and turned on a light while Lizzie lay on her back. She grabbed his hand and brought it to her stomach, moving his hand to one particular spot. He didn't have to wait long until he felt the nudge again and he laughed softly.

"I can feel her," William said in awe, glancing between Lizzie and her stomach. "I can feel our daughter!"

"Isn't it amazing?"

William smiled. "It's slight but it's enough for me to catch it."

"Imagine how she'll feel in the weeks to come as she's getting bigger," Lizzie sighed, placing her hand on top of his. "Hopefully she'll move for her dad more often."

"Oh, I'm looking forward to that."

Lizzie moved their hands an inch or so and they both focused on watching her stomach, their heads pressed together. After a minute or two, he felt the baby move again and they turned to smile at each other.

"Do you think she knows?" Lizzie asked.

"What time it is?" he countered innocently.

"No, silly," Lizzie giggled. "That we needed a little happiness right now."

William thought about it for a bit. A lot of answers went through his mind but, in the end, he went for the simplest one. "Yes, I'd like to think so."

"Me too." Lizzie brought her free hand up and rested it on his cheek. He closed the gap between them and kissed her softly and then lingering, looking into her eyes. The light was back. It had been missing all week and it brought him joy to see it again.

"Things are going to be okay, love," William whispered. "Our little girl is proof of that."

* * *

 _Notes:_

 _See? I didn't kill Mr. Bennet! You can all breathe easier now._

 _A thousand thanks to Sarah. She helped shape my writing to what it needed to be for this chapter._


	14. The Best Laid Plans

_Summary:_ _Lizzie and William prepare themselves for the months ahead._

* * *

 _Notes: Thank you so much for the lovely comments! It's great to hear from you guys and I'm glad you enjoyed the last chapter. I'd never kill off Mr. Bennet. What do you take me for!_

* * *

 _Saturday, July 7th (22 weeks and 1 day)_

The days following Lizzie and William's return home largely consisted of checking in with her parents and making up for the time they missed at work while they were in Santa Rosa. While William wasn't happy about Lizzie pulling late nights, he couldn't really argue when he was doing the same thing. The good thing was that it wasn't as much as they expected since both Andrea and Fitz had helped out tremendously.

The next Saturday was a full day for Lizzie and William. Their friends were coming over in the morning and helping clear out the guest bedroom so the walls could be painted. Gigi and Charlotte would be helping her pick colors while the guys moved the furniture, she knew she wanted one wall to be chalkboard paint. She told William as such over breakfast and was all ready to defend her choice with pictures and reasoning but William liked the idea immediately.

"You're not teasing me?" Lizzie asked and it brought a smile to William's face over her choice of words.

"I'm not. It's a nice idea," William replied as he put away the dishes. "Our daughter will have a designated place in her room where she's allowed to draw on the wall and not get in trouble. Besides, I'm sure chalk is easier to clean off walls than markers if she _did_ wander."

"I just really like the look of it. We can write her name on it when we bring her home and everything. What do you think?"

"I like it but we still have to _buy_ the crib in order to put it against that wall."

"As if you don't have a folder of your top picks already," Lizzie teased and he looked away for a second. "You can show me them later today and we'll decide. We should start ordering furniture anyway."

"But first the walls need to be painted and the old furniture needs to go."

"It's a good thing we're doing just that today and having the painters come on Monday!" Lizzie said with a silly grin.

"I wonder how much of your wit she'll inherit."

"Just enough," Lizzie replied as he put a hand on her belly. She smiled and laid her hand on top of his.

William beamed, mirroring her own expression. "I can't wait to find out."

* * *

Fitz and Brandon were the first to show up, dressed in old jeans and t-shirts, and ready to move a room full of furniture. They had borrowed a small moving truck since Lizzie and William were planning to donate everything in the room.

"Hey! Thank you for your help today!" Lizzie said, hugging Brandon.

"It's our pleasure, Lizzie. I'm sure you're antsy to get decorating."

William greeted Brandon while Fitz held out his arms for Lizzie.

"Hey, momma-to-be," Fitz greeted, pulling her in for a hug. "How's your dad?"

"He's doing better! We just called him last night. He still has some ways to go but he walked all the way around the block yesterday without getting winded," Lizzie told him.

"That's great, Lizzie D! Your dad's a trooper. I'm happy it's all worked out."

"I am, too."

"And you're lookin' good!" Fitz said, eying her belly. "How's baby D doing?"

"She's getting more active." Lizzie looked down at her stomach for a moment. "I definitely know she's in there."

"You can feel her?" Fitz asked as his eyebrows rose.

"We can. She's kicking already," William answered for her. Lizzie smiled at her husband's pride. He was being true to his word and talking to her belly every night. Last night was a particularly good night because the baby seemed to be responding to his voice with the most powerful kicks that Lizzie had felt so far.

"She's that strong in that little amount of space?"

"I'm twenty-two weeks, Fitz," Lizzie laughed. "I'm starting to think there's some truth to that old wives' tale that you're smaller when carrying a girl."

"It's possible. Seems to me that she's taking more after you more than her dad," Fitz joked.

William rolled his eyes before speaking up.

"Again, I was not born this tall."

Lizzie put a hand on his arm. "He's going to think what he wants to think. This is not an argument you'll be winning."

William sighed dramatically. "All right then. Should we get started?"

* * *

Gigi, Charlotte, and Sam all arrived within ten minutes of each other. Lydia was back at work and had a lot to do so she wouldn't be able to help out that day. Gigi and Charlotte were there more to keep Lizzie company since William refused to let her move anything.

They were still productive though. They migrated downstairs to get out of the way of the guys while they moved furniture. Lizzie was able to call Jane and get her set up on Domino so they could discuss the baby shower and all agree on a date that would work for everyone. While Lizzie wouldn't be part of all the planning, she had a few requests that she wanted to make sure they would respect.

"I don't want the baby games. Nothing where you melt chocolate in a diaper, can't say the word 'baby', or have to taste baby food to guess what it is," Lizzie listed off, counting each one with her fingers.

"What would you say to a onesie decorating station?" Jane asked.

"Like the one you had?" Charlotte recalled from Jane's baby shower.

"That was fun!" Gigi added.

"Sure. That one was pretty enjoyable actually," Lizzie agreed.

"Perfect! I'll take care of that one," Jane offered.

"Remember to write something on the invites about trying to avoid pink, please? I don't want to get twenty dresses that have tutus and say 'Princess' on them. Also, make sure the shower is gender-neutral since William will be there. I'm sure Bing will be too?"

"I'm sure Fitz would fuss until he got an invite," Gigi mentioned and the girls laughed.

"We can make Fitz babysit the twins," Jane suggested lightly and Lizzie saw the twinkle in her eyes.

"Knowing him, he'd probably love it," Lizzie said.

"Don't worry," Charlotte piped up. "It will be one big party so the guys won't feel out of place."

"Great! I trust you ladies not to go completely overboard on everything."

Lizzie started to get up from her seat when Jane stopped her.

"Lizzie!" Jane exclaimed and she quickly sat back down. "Don't forget to send me your registries so I can put that information on the invites!"

"We're still working on them. I'll email you by the end of the weekend," she promised. After another moment, she left them to plan things out and went back upstairs to get herself some water. William and Fitz came walking down the hallway and past the kitchen. William stopped and Fitz clapped him on the back as he kept going, turning the corner to the guest bedroom.

"Hey, how's it going?" Lizzie asked, grabbing water from the fridge.

"About halfway done. I'm glad we got rid of the bed when we did," William replied, thanking her as she handed him water and taking a big gulp. "How about you?"

"I think it's going well. I told them what I wanted so here's hoping." Lizzie crossed her fingers and William chuckled. "I'm giving them some time to plan."

"I'm sure they'll take it all into consideration," William said. He heard his name being called from the room and he put the water back on the counter, kissing her quickly on the forehead. "Back to the heavy lifting, I go."

"Don't hurt yourself!" Lizzie patted his butt when he turned and he laughed as he left.

* * *

It took a couple hours to completely empty out the room, leaving only the rocking chair. While Fitz and William drove the truck to a donation center, the rest of the group dusted and swept the floor. They were finished by the time William and Fitz returned and Lizzie ordered lunch to thank everyone for their help.

Lizzie and William spent the afternoon testing out a virtual paint app to see how the walls would look with the colors they chose, figuring out which wall would look best as the chalkboard wall. They also spent time looking at William's top choices for cribs, along with other baby essentials. After picking their favorites and getting everything ordered, they worked on finishing the baby registry. It took some time because one of them would get sucked into a review spiral before adding it to the registry. There was still a ton to do before the baby arrived but it was a big step in their plans.

All in all, Saturday was a very productive day for the two of them. They were satisfied when they called it quits for dinner and relaxed the rest of the evening. When they went to bed, William had some belly time – as Lizzie had so lovingly nicknamed it-where he would tell the baby various stories of anything and everything. It was easily her favorite time of the day and his too.

* * *

 _Sunday, July 8th (22 weeks and 2 days)_

Lizzie and William sat down at the dining room table, both armed with their calendars. They were going to figure out how much time they'd be taking off as well as their schedules for once the baby came.

"Alright," Lizzie opened up her calendar and got comfortable. "First of all, how much time are you willing to take off?"

"As much as you," William replied. "I have quite a bit of time to work with since I had the year-long parental leave implemented."

"Things would be so much easier if I wasn't running my own company and just worked at Pemberley," Lizzie said with a dramatic sigh.

"I offered."

"Oh, shut up," Lizzie laughed. "I'm just saying that while I want to take more time off, I don't think it's doable. Someday, I hope we can get parental leave up to a year for the employees. I can't leave my company for that long even if we did have it though."

"So how long are you thinking?"

Lizzie took a moment to answer. "Three months. My company is more dependent on me being there and three months is the standard for maternity leave right now. While I love Andrea and think she can get things done, I can't just disappear for a year."

"True. Your company is still creating its foundation. Hopefully by the time we have our second one, D.E.P. will have grown enough that you could theoretically take more time off. I mean, if you wanted to."

"I'd like to think that my company can run without my constant attendance somewhere down the line. Maybe I could skive off for three months and just hang out in a random town."

William narrowed his eyes at her and she just barely held back her playful smile.

"And how about before the baby comes? I'd prefer that you not work up until your due date and have her at work."

"I'm thinking I'm going to start working from home once I hit thirty-six weeks," Lizzie said. "I'd rather not go into labor in my office either and who knows how uncomfortable I'll be by then. I can just go in for any meetings where I'm absolutely needed and Andrea can't handle."

"Good. That makes me feel better," William said, flipping the pages of his calendar to October. "I was thinking I'd start working from home around then as well. Or at least the next week."

William pointed it out to her in his calendar. She noticed little numbers on every Friday, which indicated how many weeks pregnant she was, and she brightened at the realization.

"Just before I hit thirty-seven weeks," Lizzie agreed, pointing to the middle of the week. "I know the doctor appointments will be more frequent in the end. I can also use you to fetch me things while I rest and grow this baby some more."

William chuckled and kissed her temple. "Whatever you need, I'll get it for you. Now, what do we do after those three months?"

"I can tell you what's not going to happen," Lizzie started. "We're not getting a nanny. I want her to be raised by _us_ , not by a complete stranger. I know it's going to be difficult since we'll be working parents but I want to be there as much as possible for her. My mom was the stay-at-home parent and my dad did everything he could to be home on time for dinner and around for the weekends."

"My parents were very adamant about being there for me and Gigi. I did have a nanny when I was young but my parents were still quite hands-on. I often did my homework in my parents' offices when I was little. At least one of them would come to my events. I know it wasn't easy for them all the time but they always tried to make it work," William said, pausing for a moment. "I want to do that for our daughter. I want to be home for dinner every night, even if that means cutting back time at the office for me."

"I want to try and do the same. I know Andrea and Lara will be helpful but it's not always going to be easy."

"So what do you suggest we do once we return to work? P.D. has a daycare but I'm not comfortable bringing her until she's six months, at least."

Lizzie's brows furrowed as she thought about their solution.

"Okay so let's try to be sensible about this. We're both running companies but we want to be there for this little girl as much as possible. What if…What if we eased back into work in the beginning and split our days?"

"Like one of us works mornings and the other works afternoons?"

"Yea. That way, we're still going to work every day but one of us is always with the baby. We can split the days evenly too. Say I go to work Monday and Wednesday mornings while you go in the afternoon and then you go to work Tuesday and Thursday mornings and me in the afternoon. Then we just split the Fridays to alternate mornings and afternoons," Lizzie explained. "We can get work done from home as well but it gives us equal amounts of time with her and plenty of time in the office. We can work out the schedule based on our busiest days. I think that even with me needing to be there for the company, this may be the best solution."

"This is good. It's going to be a work in progress as time goes on," William agreed. "But I think this could really work."

"I hope so." Lizzie sounded relieved. "There's going to be sacrifices from both of us but it's worth it."

William smiled and reached over to rub her belly for a moment. "Now that we have that all figured out and we're still on the subject, what about a labor plan?"

"I've got a plan. I go into labor and have the baby," Lizzie said simply.

"Ha ha." William paused before continuing. "I don't know what you'd think of this, but what if we hired a doula?"

"A doula? Like Jane and Bing had?"

"I was talking to Bing last week and he brought it up, asking if we have one. He said she was incredibly helpful with a lot of his anxieties."

Lizzie's expression softened. "Do you have anxiety about this?"

"I'd be lying if I said I didn't. We've never been through this and I know that it's going to be intense," William said. "I want what's best for you and to be there for you for whatever you need so it would be good for me to be the calmer one, don't you think?"

"You're right. I remember Jane saying her doula was amazing. Having somebody in that room who knows what they're doing would be an enormous help."

"It would be. I know our doctor won't be there the whole time and I'm sure the nurse will be in and out. The doula would be a good presence for both of us."

"It's a good idea. I'm surprised we didn't think about it before. Have you done any research?"

"Actually, no. I wanted to run it by you first and I was researching cribs more."

Lizzie smiled and wrote a note for herself. "We'll do some research together then and meet with a few. Hopefully we'll have someone within the next few weeks."

"Okay," William sighed in relief. "So, does that change your labor plan in any way?"

Lizzie snickered. "Honestly, I never had a complicated plan or anything. It's not like I needed to have certain music played at certain times or anything like that." Lizzie grabbed William's hand. "All I need is you by my side and helping me through it. I don't want anybody else in that room except the people who need to be there. As much as I love our families, that's just added stress."

"I think they'll understand."

"Yea. It's just about you and me on that day," Lizzie said before adding. "Or days, depending on how long this little girl decides to take."

"Hopefully not too long. I already know it's going to be difficult to not be able to do much while you're in pain."

"You're going to be helping me through that pain, you know. You won't just be sitting there," Lizzie reminded him. "Another thing? I don't want to be induced."

"Even if you're a few days late?"

"Nope."

"What about more than a week late and you're completely uncomfortable?"

"The only reason I'll agree is if it's a medical necessity. I don't want to force my body into labor before she's ready to be born," Lizzie said. "And I need you to be on board with my decision."

"I am, Lizzie. We're trying to make this whole thing as stress-free as possible and I don't think being induced will help with that," William replied. "From what I've read, Pitocin makes contractions even more unbearable."

"Exactly. I want to avoid a C-section if possible too," Lizzie said. "Also, I'm seriously thinking about saying yes to the epidural. And quite possibly, the pain medication too."

"If you want the epidural, then get it. Whatever gives you relief, I'm all for it," William said. "And I will do whatever I can to help you through everything."

"Oh! I have one request and I need you to promise me that you won't be break it."

"What is it?"

"I don't want you to peek while I'm pushing. Actually, I don't want you to look _at all_ ," she said adamantly.

William chuckled before seeing her serious expression and looked puzzled.

"What?"

"No, I mean it. I don't want you to look at any point during labor. I know you may be eager to see our daughter but I need you to not do that."

"Lizzie…"

"I'm serious, William! It's not a pretty sight. I don't even want to see that. You could be traumatized by what you see and then never want to go down there again."

"I…I don't think anything could stop me from giving you pleasure, Lizzie."

"Please promise me. I need you to be looking at me and encouraging me until the very end. I want us to see our daughter for the first time together."

"I feel like you could have led with that and gotten me to agree much faster," William said and Lizzie shrugged, smiling a little. "Okay, I promise I won't look. We will see our daughter together when she's out and ready to be seen."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome." William leaned forward and kissed her temple. "You beautiful, silly woman."

"You love me." Lizzie grinned.

"More and more every day," William said warmly before sighing. "What else do we need to go over? I'm sure there's plenty."

"There is."

They talked about needing go back to yoga after taking the last two weeks off. Their yoga instructor also taught the prenatal couples class and they wanted to switch soon. They also needed to look into a childbirth class and see what would work with their schedule. By the end, their list of things to do was just as long as it was when they sat down, only it was a list of different tasks. That said, they still felt accomplished after their very productive weekend

They decided to go out for lunch and Lizzie suggested they walk to wherever they decided to go. They spent most of the afternoon outdoors, enjoying the weather and window shopping but not having any particular destination. They stopped at the grocery store on the way home and picked up food to make for dinner as well as some other goodies Lizzie was craving.

The evening was spent getting some work done while exchanging flirtatious glances. It was only a matter of time before one of them caved and lately, it was always Lizzie. Her hormones gave her almost no patience and when she was in the mood, which was often in her second trimester, she was _really_ in the mood. He was more than a little playful with her, matching her friskiness. She finally got up and began to shed her clothes, leaving a trail behind her. She paused at the hallway.

"That's an invitation to follow, as if you were unaware," Lizzie said coyly.

He grinned and pulled off his shirt. "Right behind you, love."

* * *

On Monday, William stayed home to let the painters in. He confirmed the paint colors with them and went over the instructions one more time. Fitz and Brandon had used them a couple times when they repainted the outside of their house and redecorated a few rooms.

William and Lizzie came home to a finished room, three walls painted in mint green with white trim. The chalkboard wall looked even better than they expected, with the beautiful black sheen and just waiting to be tested. It still smelled of paint fumes and William didn't want Lizzie in there too long so he opened the balcony doors open overnight to get rid of the smell quicker and shooed her out of the room.

William surprised Lizzie after she came home from work the next day and gave her a present when they finished dinner. She opened it to find a brand new box of colored chalk and supplies to clean the board. She lit up with happiness and kissed him as a thank you before they tested out the wall.

* * *

They settled back into a routine over the next few weeks. If William wasn't biking early in the morning, he'd join Lizzie on her morning walk. Her naughty hormonal-induced dreams continued but were not on a nightly basis anymore. When they did occur, they led to mornings where they skipped biking and walking. But no matter what the exercise, they always worked up a sweat and an appetite. They returned to yoga class and attended three nights a week. After talking with the instructor, they decided not to go to the prenatal yoga class until Lizzie was seven months along.

The group's monthly dinner was at Charlotte and Sam's place. Gigi had gone to London the day before for two weeks for a quarterly meeting and to impress some big wigs, and Brandon was at a work retreat but Lydia had the day off. Lizzie got the scoop on her and Adam. Things were going well but they were taking it slow, not wanting to push the other. At the end of the night, she asked the group if it was alright to bring him to a future dinner and they eagerly said yes.

Lizzie had a doctor appointment at twenty-four weeks and everything checked out well. They mentioned their desire to hire a doula to their doctor and she agreed they were beneficial, telling them of her experiences with them in the past and recommending a few to them. Lizzie also asked if it was okay to be the size she was, with her total weight gain of only ten pounds. The weekly app told them how big the baby was getting, but Lizzie's body had only changed a little since she began to show. Dr. Gates assured her that she was fine, the baby was looking good, and she was simply carrying small.

In a way, Lizzie was thankful for it because only a few people were commenting on her pregnancy, decreasing the amount of strangers touching her belly without permission. She had yet to shop for maternity clothes though and it was something she was looking forward to doing. Jane had let her in on a few secrets she had used when she was pregnant, like using a hair tie to help keep her pants closed. Lizzie could still zip up her pants but had been leaving the top button undone because it was digging into her skin lately. She thanked her sister profusely for that one.

After doing research on the doctor's recommendations and a few others, Lizzie and William set up meetings with three different doulas with hopes of finding one that would help them out. Lizzie found it easy to dislike the first potential woman when she arrived ten minutes late and had an overbearing attitude. William liked the second woman but knew it wasn't going to work out because Lizzie didn't seem to have a connection with her. They hoped their last meeting would go better.

It did.

They met her at a café down the street from their place. She offered an infectious smile when she greeted them, giving them each a two-handed handshake as they introduced themselves.

"I'm Hannah Richards. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Please sit!" Lizzie gestured to the empty chair. "Tell us about yourself."

Hannah pushed her long, brown hair over to one shoulder and spoke up. She had become a doula when she was just twenty-three, knowing it was exactly what she wanted to do after helping her older sister deliver her first child. She was in her mid-thirties, married, and a mother to one ten-year-old daughter. She gave off a sweet and caring vibe that reminded Lizzie of Jane but she had a little snark as well as assertiveness. She had exactly the kind of attitude they were both looking for.

She asked what they were hoping for with their labor experience and listened intently, making notes for herself. Once they were done, she went through her own experiences of being a doula, which only impressed Lizzie and William more. By the end of the meeting, Lizzie felt like she had known this woman for ages and knew she'd be comfortable having someone like her in the room with them. Hannah even offered to take pictures of their first moments with the baby, since they would obviously be too preoccupied. After one simple exchange of glances between Lizzie and William, they offered her the job on the spot and she happily accepted. They scheduled another meeting to be had at their home and exchanged information so they could go over specifics before they left. Lizzie and William felt relieved and happy they found someone who meshed so well with them. They knew they'd be in good hands.

* * *

 _Monday, July 30th (25 weeks and 3 days)_

In Lizzie's twenty-fifth week, she had to take a glucose screening for gestational diabetes. She psyched herself out after asking Jane about it and reading about it on some forums, where many posters weren't fans of the test. She also found conflicting information on whether to eat or not before the test. It was too much information and she promptly gave up, deciding to eat her regular breakfast. She drank a disgustingly sweet drink an hour before the test and William accompanied her to the lab, waiting outside while she had her blood drawn. She came out a few minutes later with a blue band around her elbow and shrugged, saying it wasn't as bad as she expected. She promised to text him her results once she found out and they went their separate ways to work.

And then she got a call from her doctor's office around lunch.

 ** _Lizzie 12:38 pm_**

I freaking FAILED.

I've never failed ANYTHING in my life!

UGH!

I have to take the stupid three hour test now.

 ** _William 12:42 pm_**

What? What happened?

What was the number?

 ** _Lizzie 12:42 pm_**

141.

Two points lower and I would have been fine.

It's so stupid.

 ** _William 12:43 pm_**

They're testing these things for a reason.

 ** _Lizzie 12:43 pm_**

:-/ I know.

 ** _William 12:44 pm_**

I'm sure it's nothing though.

 ** _Lizzie 12:45 pm_**

I HOPE it's nothing.

I'm really bummed.

It was one thing I thought I didn't need to worry about.

 ** _William 12:45 pm_**

I'm so sorry, love.

When do you take the 3 hour test?

 ** _Lizzie 12:45 pm_**

Friday.

Will you come with me?

I have to fast and I hate how I feel when I do.

 ** _William 12:47 pm_**

I would have either way.

You know that.

 ** _Lizzie 12:47 pm_**

It's just short notice.

I had to rearrange my own schedule.

 ** _William 12:47 pm_**

It will be fine.

I will be there with bells on.

 ** _Lizzie 12:48 pm_**

That might be a little noisy for other patients.

 ** _William 12:50 pm_**

Ha ha. You think you're so cute.

 ** _Lizzie 12:51 pm_**

:-D

 ** _William 12:52 pm_**

By the way, another package was delivered.

Got a notification to pick it up in the lobby.

 ** _Lizzie 12:55 pm_**

Yay! Think it's the crib?

 ** _William 12:55 pm_**

It's that or the dresser.

Hoping it's the crib though.

 ** _William 12:56 pm_**

Then I can put it together this weekend.

 ** _Lizzie 12:57 pm_**

That's certainly something to look forward to.

Also, Jane said she's barely had anybody say no to the baby shower.

 ** _William 12:57 pm_**

People are happy for us.

Hope we can make it ;-)

 ** _Lizzie 12:58 pm_**

Cute.

I'm clearly rubbing off on you.

 ** _William 12:59 pm_**

Clearly.

I've got a meeting in a few minutes.

Talk to you tonight.

Want me to pick up dinner?

 ** _Lizzie 12:59 pm_**

Ooh, yes!

In the mood for something from Blue Barn.

 ** _William 1:00 pm_**

Perfect. Text me what you want.

I'll let you know when I'm heading out.

Love you both.

 ** _Lizzie 1:00 pm_**

Will do!

Love you too.

* * *

 _Friday, August 3rd (26 weeks)_

Lizzie wasn't allowed to eat or drink after midnight and all she could have was the overly sweet glucose drink again. William gave her a sympathetic look when she cringed after finished. She took the tiniest sip of water to get rid of the taste.

"This is going to be a long day," Lizzie grumbled as they were leaving. "Did you eat anything?"

"I had something while you were getting ready. I didn't want to eat in front of you," William mentioned, locking the door behind her.

"Nice but unnecessary."

William shrugged as they walked to the elevator and waited.

"Just trying to be considerate," he said as he slipped an arm around her waist. "I'll take you out to lunch after you finish. I made time for it."

Lizzie looked up at him and smiled. "As long as you don't mention food again until then."

William chuckled but he knew she was serious. "You've got a deal."

It didn't take long to make it to the hospital and find a parking spot. William took a seat nearest to the entrance of the lab and watched Lizzie as she waited in line behind an older woman. The woman turned and said something to Lizzie, making her smile. They exchanged a few more words before the woman was called to check in. He kept his eyes on his wife as she brought a hand to her stomach as she waited. He noticed she did it more often these days, now that she was showing and feeling the baby move. She was looking more radiant every day.

Lizzie finally checked in and she waved at him as she walked right into the lab, bypassing a few others still waiting. She came out soon after with her sleeve rolled up and pressing a cotton ball to the crook of her elbow.

"One down, three to go," Lizzie said as she sat next to him. He gestured to her arm.

"Why no tape?"

"She be taking it off again in an hour. I don't want to get the area irritated," Lizzie replied.

"Good thinking. So, are you getting special treatment today? Walking in ahead of five people?" William teased.

"I'm obviously more important," Lizzie said, nudging his shoulder. William put his arm around her.

"I certainly think so."

Lizzie made a little humming noise with her throat and rested her head on his shoulder. They had a lot waiting around to do.

* * *

The first hour of waiting wasn't too terrible. Other patients were providing enough material to keep them occupied, including a little boy who kept running away from his mom, and talking about whatever was on their mind until it was time for her to go back in. She came out a few minutes later with a little bounce in her step, pressing another cotton ball to her arm.

"The results came back for the first test and I'm on track already," Lizzie said happily.

"Nice!" William replied. "Only two more hours to go."

"Two more _long_ hours."

"At least you're not waiting around alone," William offered.

Lizzie smiled at him. "Thank you for coming."

"I haven't missed anything yet. I certainly wouldn't leave you to spend three hours by yourself in the lab waiting room, especially when fasting is involved," William said before lowering his voice. "Then I'd miss all this entertainment and it just wouldn't be the same with you explaining it."

"I don't know. I'm sure it would still be great. I've been told I'm a natural storyteller," Lizzie said cheekily and William raised an impressed eyebrow.

"You got me there."

For much of that hour, Lizzie took to her phone to answer some emails and take her mind off slow-growing hunger. William spent his time checking out the room but not being too obvious about it and answering Lizzie when she asked a question. There was a television mounted to the wall showing some Disney movie on mute. People came and went in waves, their gaze usually fixated on the changing number on the wall. Two little kids were playing with their toys in the corner while their moms talked and waited for their numbers to be called. Time seemed to pass a little slower than the hour before but Lizzie was doing well. Just before she needed to go in again, he reached over and squeezed her leg. She looked up and over to him, giving him a warm look. She checked the clock and exhaled before getting up and going back for her third draw.

While he waited for her to return, a mother came over carrying her daughter and asked if it was all right to sit in the chairs across from him. He gestured to the empty chairs and told her it was okay. She had her blond hair in pigtails and was wearing a blue princess dress with fairy wings attached to the back. The mother sat down and her daughter slid out of her lap and then looked to William and gave him a toothy smile. He smiled in return and she giggled. She started to dance in a clumsy circle and sing to herself.

"How old is she, if you don't mind me asking?" William inquired after a few moments.

"Almost three," the mother replied, glancing between him and her daughter. "Do you have any of your own?"

Lizzie's timing was impeccable and came walking out at that moment, quirking her head and looking at him curiously before sitting down.

"We will soon," William replied proudly, slipping his fingers between Lizzie's.

"Congratulations!" she said, looking to Lizzie. "How far along are you?"

"Twenty-five…Actually, twenty-six weeks today," Lizzie responded. "Six and a half months."

"You look fantastic! I would have figured four months," she said.

"I just say she's shy," Lizzie joked, watching the girl dance around some more.

"I like that answer," the mother laughed softly. "I got so big by the end that my husband was tying my shoes for me."

Lizzie nudged William. "I'm sure mine will be willing to do that."

The little girl took a big leap in front of them as if she was performing for them.

Lizzie leaned forward. "You have a really pretty dress on."

She stopped dancing and smiled really wide.

"I'm a faiwy pwincess!" the little girl exclaimed.

"You sure are!" Lizzie agreed. The little girl began spinning in big circles and giggling.

"She must love you guys. She doesn't perform for everybody."

"We feel very honored then," William said.

After a few moments of them watching her twirl around, the mother reached out for her.

"Looks like it's her turn," she said, picking her daughter up. "Wish us luck."

"Good luck," Lizzie said, waving to the little girl. She waved back before they went inside.

"Such a cute little girl!" Lizzie brought a hand up to her chest.

"She was pretty adorable," William agreed.

"I can't wait to have moments like that."

William looked at her affectionately. "Only fourteen more weeks and we will."

"That can't come soon enough," Lizzie murmured. "Also, my last blood draw came back normal too."

"It really is turning out to be nothing."

"Only one more blood draw but it's looking that way."

Lizzie exhaled and leaned back in her chair, getting herself comfortable for another hour of waiting. Within a few minutes, they heard the little girl coming out. She was bawling, with her arm sporting a colored bandage, and the mother was rubbing her back, telling her it was going to be okay. Lizzie pushed out her bottom lip in empathy and the mother gave them a look and subtly shrugged as she passed them.

"And those will be different kinds of moments," William noted.

"I'm not looking forward to those at all," Lizzie whimpered. "I can't imagine what Jane and Bing go through with getting shots for _two_ kids at once."

"We'll get through it together and figure it out."

William nodded before rubbing his hands together. "So, one more blood draw and you're done."

"Fifty more minutes," Lizzie said. "Whoever decided pregnant women should fast was a cruel, cruel person."

* * *

Lizzie practically skipped into the room to get her last blood draw, all too eager to be done with the test. William laughed as he watched her go and gathered their stuff so he'd be ready for her when she came out. Barely a minute passed before she returned, waving her hands around and wearing a blue wrap around her arm.

"Done!" Lizzie exclaimed, taking her bag from him. "The third blood draw came back normal too."

"I'm sure the last draw will be too. You know what that means now?"

"Time for food! Your girls are starving!"

"Then let's feed you both," William said with a twinkle in his eye. "You're going to love this place."

"Will, I would love a hot pocket at this point," Lizzie said snarkily.

"I promise you. This food is much better than a hot pocket," William added "And I also have a little surprise for you."

"Ooh. I love surprises."

* * *

 _Saturday, August 4th (26 weeks and 1 day)_

Once Lizzie discovered that she passed the glucose test at lunch, William took the opportunity to tell Lizzie her surprise, which was a prenatal massage for Saturday morning. She practically squealed with delight when she had opened the envelope. They had already set aside time that day to work on the nursery so he knew she was free.

After her massage on Saturday, Lizzie returned home, feeling completely relaxed and armed with a new body pillow recommended by the massage therapist. She put it down in the living room and went back into the kitchen. As she was grabbing a bottle of water, she heard a clatter coming from the nursery, followed by William's voice.

"Damnit!"

Lizzie shut the fridge door and went to see what happened. William was sitting on the floor and leaning against the wall, with one leg stretched out and the other bent. He had instructions in his hand and was frowning but she couldn't help but notice how good he looked in his jeans and fitted white t-shirt. His hair was mussed up, standing up at different angles, which meant he must have been running his hand through it. He was surrounded by parts of the crib waiting to be put together and various tools.

"Need some assistance?"

William's head snapped up and a look of relief and happiness spread across his face.

"Hey, beautiful. When did you get back?"

"Just now. Heard your cry for help," Lizzie said cheekily. He sighed dramatically and stood up, giving her a sweet kiss.

"I'm having a bit of trouble with reading the instructions and putting the crib together at the same time," William admitted. "I was saving the crib for last but had hoped to be done with it by the time you got home."

"It's okay. I can help now. You sure got a lot done," Lizzie commented, looking around. All the furniture that had been arriving the past week had been unpacked, the boxes were gone, and they all had a place in the room. The mattress was leaning against the wall, the glider was placed at one corner of the chalkboard walk and the rocking chair at the other, waiting to frame the crib. Matching floor lamps were placed next to each chair. The changing table with drawers for storage below it was placed against the wall nearest to the bathroom door and a hamper on one side. Near the table was a dresser they would be piling full of baby clothes. Next to the French doors that opened out to the balcony was a bookshelf as tall as Lizzie, waiting to be filled with various baby books and toys.

"I wasn't sure where you wanted everything so I put things where I thought they worked. I'll move whatever you want," William said, looking around. "The bookshelf should be secured to the wall once we figure out where it should go permanently."

"I actually like it for now. Good job, you," Lizzie said lightly, leaning in and toying with the band of his jeans. William glanced down at her hand play before returning his gaze to her, the corner of his lips twitching up and just barely quirking his eyebrow. She stood up on her toes and gave him a kiss before stepping back. "So, what can I do?"

"Would you mind reading me the instructions? It will be helpful," William said. He bent down and grabbed them, giving Lizzie a great view of his butt in his well-fitted jeans. He caught her blatant stare when he turned to give them to her and merely smirked but said nothing. She couldn't help herself. There was just something about the way her husband looked in jeans and white t-shirt, so simple but so sexy.

She took a seat in her glider for the first time, practically sinking against the cushions and bringing her feet up on the footrest. It was even more comfortable than she expected, which was great since she knew she'd probably be spending many hours in the chair.

"Do you like it?" William asked, looking up at her.

"Yes," Lizzie murmured, closing her eyes momentarily and bringing a hand to her stomach. The baby gave a little kick of approval. "We both do."

William smiled in response.

Lizzie began to read instructions to him until she reached where he left off. He began working on what tripped him up earlier while Lizzie watched on with her head resting on the cushion, waiting until he'd need to be read the next step.

"You look relaxed."

"I _am_ relaxed," Lizzie replied, smiling at him. "Thank you so much for the massage. It's just what I needed. They were all so kind and welcoming there."

"I hope so," William said, reaching for a tool. "Considering you're going to be seeing them every two weeks from now until the baby is born."

Lizzie froze. "What?"

"I've set it up so that you'll be getting a prenatal massage with them every other Saturday morning. They're flexible if you want to go a little earlier or later but I know Saturday mornings work best for you," William explained.

"Will," Lizzie looked at him in awe. "Are you serious?"

"You're carrying our child and your body is changing in amazing and beautiful ways, all while I'm sitting here wondering what I can do for you." William put down his tools and faced her, resting his arms on his knees. "I can build this crib. I can cook for you. I can go out at four in the morning to pick up what you crave." Lizzie laughed gently at that, remembering the story where Jane told her she made Bing do that exact task. "I can carry you to bed when you've fallen asleep on the couch. If the massages help you while you deal with those changes, then I will feel that much better."

"I…" Lizzie shook her head but was smiling. "I have the most ridiculous husband ever."

"Is that a good or bad thing?"

"Good. Definitely good," Lizzie said warmly.

William reached over and squeezing her thigh. "Now, let's get back to this crib I said I'd build for you."

She spent the better part of the next thirty minutes reading the instructions to him while he put the crib together. She got distracted a couple times when his shirt would ride up as he grabbed a new tool or part of the crib. He had caught on by the end because his movements were more purposeful, showing off for her as he finished the crib. After testing to make sure the crib was well-built, he grabbed the mattress and lifted it over his head. His shirt hiked up again, giving her another fantastic view, and he made his smirk obvious before he placed it in the crib. Then he pushed it against the wall, making sure it was even between the two chairs. They both stepped back and Lizzie slid her arm around his waist as they admired his handy work.

"Look at what you built," Lizzie murmured, her voice laced with pride. "It's beautiful."

"You think so?"

"Absolutely. She's going to love it too." Lizzie slid her free hand to her stomach and William's gaze followed. He smiled, mostly to himself.

"I surprised even myself," William said. Lizzie turned towards him and slid her hands to his chest, toying with the fabric of his shirt.

"You shouldn't be. I know for a fact that you're quite good with your hands," Lizzie said with a twinkle in her eyes.

"You are terrible."

"I know." Lizzie gave him a mischievous look. "What are you going to do about it?"

William glanced down, watching her hand movements for a moment before leaning in close and kissing her. "Whatever you want."

* * *

 _Notes: A couple extras will be posted up on the blog! The 3 hour glucose test was taken straight from my experience with my best friend. I volunteered to keep her company during that long wait. We had a version of that little girl in our waiting room too. Haha._


	15. Generosity

_Summary: It's baby shower time!_

* * *

 _Notes:_

 _Thank you so much for all your comments. You guys make this worth while :)_

* * *

 _Saturday, August 11th (27 weeks and 1 day)_

"Are you almost ready?"

William leaned against the doorframe, crossing his arms, and watching Lizzie as she was finishing fixing her hair. Gigi had come back from London only two days before but she called up the girls to say she was in dire need for a day out. Charlotte said yes since Sam was at a week-long conference but Lydia was already committed to a work event. Lizzie suggested the three of them go shopping first since some of her pants were getting too snug.

"Nearly." Lizzie glanced at his reflection as he approached her. He slid his arms around her waist and flattened his palms against her belly. She saw his eyebrow rise in surprise and she knew he could feel the baby moving. "She's been doing somersaults for the past twenty minutes."

"I bet she knows Mom is finally getting clothes that won't squish her."

"Shut up, you." Lizzie laughed, gently elbowing him. "I _am_ looking forward to having some pants that actually feel secure. Jane recommended a few brands that are pretty stylish and won't make me look like a whale."

"You won't ever look like a whale," William replied. "I'm sure of it."

"That's the reassurance I'll need when I'm thirty-nine weeks and look like I've swallowed a beach ball."

"Nonsense. You're gorgeous now and you will be even more so at thirty-nine weeks," William said, kissing her shoulder.

Lizzie glanced over her shoulder at him and smiled. "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

"So, do you have any fun plans while I go cavorting with Gigi and Charlotte for the day?"

"Points for vocabulary, Mrs. Darcy," William teased. "I'm going to get a few errands done and go into work. We're getting closer to release on the messaging extensions app and I want to see the progress in person."

"I have a feeling that's going to be a big success for you," Lizzie said, finishing putting her hair up as he stepped back and leaned against the wall.

"I don't think it's as big as Domino, but I believe people will like it."

"Oh, c'mon. I'll be one of the first to use it. Finally being able to bold, italicize, and underline when texting? It's so simple yet helpful."

"You know that's not all the app will be for, right?"

"I'm focusing on what _I_ want to use it for," Lizzie explained. Her phone vibrated a couple times with notifications and there was the faint sound of a knock a moment later. "That's Gigi and Charlotte."

"I'll get the door."

"Thank you! I just need another minute."

William leaned against the doorframe and smiled at her. "I think I can entertain for a few minutes. It will be nice to catch up with my sister."

* * *

"I'm so happy you guys agreed to go out," Gigi said as they walked into the clothing store.

"I would have said yes to anything. The apartment is too quiet when Sam isn't there," Charlotte replied. "I'm too used to him. It's so annoying."

Lizzie laughed. "I'm the same way when William is gone."

"You two are pathetic," Gigi joked.

Lizzie and Charlotte exchanged looks before nodding. "We really are."

"Well, I pretty much did nothing but work the whole time I was in London so I need some fun."

"And I need some new clothes that fit so it all works out!" Lizzie said.

"I can't believe you haven't bought any maternity clothes yet," Gigi said.

"I haven't really had the time, honestly." Lizzie shrugged. They asked the sales associate where the maternity section was and they were pointed to the second floor.

"It helps that you're not really big," Charlotte said.

"Yeah, but I can't button these pants at all anymore," Lizzie admitted. She lifted her shirt a fraction to show them the hair tie trick and Charlotte snorted.

Gigi looped her arm with Lizzie's. "We need to get you some new clothes, stat!"

The girls spent some time looking through the maternity section, finding some cute shirts along with different kinds of pants that Lizzie so desperately needed. With arms full, they made their way to the empty dressing room and Gigi and Charlotte sat down to wait for Lizzie's mini fashion show. It wasn't long before she found something she liked.

"Oh my god. This is what a pair of pants is supposed to feel like," Lizzie said with a relieved groan, hearing snickers from outside her dressing room.

"Show us!"

Lizzie pulled her shirt down before stepping out. "They don't even look like maternity jeans."

"I'm going to say it. They may your butt look amazing," Gigi pointed out. Lizzie turned to look at herself in the mirror and she agreed. "You can't even tell there's that stretchy band underneath."

"I think that's why they call them secret fit belly jeans," Lizzie said. "There's enough stretch to it that I can wear these until I go into labor."

"Buy a few pairs," Charlotte said. "You could totally wear them after the baby comes too."

"If I'm not totally sick of them by then," Lizzie quipped, closing the door behind her. "How goes the planning for the baby shower?"

"We're pretty much done, actually," Charlotte spoke up. "I'm waiting for a couple things to come in the mail."

"I found a few things in London in what little spare time I had," Gigi said.

"How are you not dealing with jet lag and exhaustion? It sounds like you wore yourself out over there, Gigi." Lizzie said, sounding concerned as she stepped out to show them a shirt. She wasn't sure about the style and made a face. Both girls gave a thumbs down and she went back into her stall.

"I slept on the plane and for half of yesterday. London was a lot of work but it was necessary since it was a big international client. I'm going back in October for a couple weeks too."

"As long as you're back in time," Lizzie said, showing them another top. It was multi-colored and more fitting, framing her belly just right. The girls gave her each two thumbs up.

"I wouldn't miss my niece's debut for the world!" Gigi assured.

"Speaking of," Lizzie said. "I need to find a dress for the baby shower. Will you two help me?"

"What are we here for again?" Charlotte asked with a hint of sarcasm. Gigi elbowed her in the ribs and Lizzie kept herself from laughing when Charlotte grimaced and rubbed her hand against her ribs.

"Don't listen to her. We'll find you something that you make you the center of attention."

"I mean, I do love a statement dress, but I kind of already assumed I _would_ be," Lizzie quipped.

* * *

After a very successful shopping trip where Lizzie expanded her wardrobe and all of them found outfits for the baby shower, they went out to lunch. Gigi and Charlotte left it up to Lizzie to pick the place and she chose a little bistro near where they were shopping.

"What's been your weirdest craving so far?" Gigi asked as they were finishing up.

"You know, I haven't had too many. It's more along the lines of something sounds good so I'll get it and then I'm satisfied," Lizzie said, brushing a hand across her belly. "She does really like the fruit, especially when it's fresh. William and I have been taking more walks to the farmers' market."

"At least it's healthy!" Charlotte piped up. "I had an employee who ate nothing but peanut butter and _butter_ sandwiches for four months and she only liked this one brand of peanut butter that was sold in the city. This was when I was at the old office, by the way. Her husband had to make the drive all the time because she went through the jars like it was nothing."

Lizzie shook her head. "William is more than happy to go out if I want something but I haven't really needed him to yet."

"Maybe the cravings will come in these last three months," Gigi said. "Send him out at three am for nachos and then when he gets back, say you don't want it anymore!"

"You sounded a little too gleeful there. You _want_ your brother to deal with that?"

"He needs stories to share for the next couple in the group who has a baby." Gigi couldn't help but glance at Charlotte, who immediately put her hands up.

"We _just_ got married and you saw how long that took. There's no baby in our immediate future," Charlotte insisted.

"Have you two actually discussed it?" Lizzie looked at her.

"Well, yea. We've been together for four years so the subject has come up before. We'd like to have one eventually."

"We should time it to where we have our second while you're having your first," Lizzie joked.

"Our mothers would _love_ that!" Charlotte snorted. "Why don't we join a book club while we're at it?"

"Only if it's Regency-themed." They burst into laughter and bumped shoulders.

"You know what I think we should do?" Charlotte looked between them.

"Frozen yogurt?" Lizzie offered and the girls snickered.

"And here you just said you didn't really have cravings," Charlotte teased her.

"I'm in the _mood_ for frozen yogurt. There's a difference." Lizzie lifted her chin in defiance.

"Right. Anyway, we should go back to my place and watch some movies. I can only do so much work when Sam is away before I drive myself crazy."

"Oh, I'm in. It's been ages since I had time to watch movies," Gigi said, signaling their waiter for the check.

"Sounds like a great idea, Char," Lizzie agreed. "Anything in mind?"

"I can think of a movie or two."

* * *

Lizzie checked in William before the girls picked up frozen yogurt and headed to Charlotte's. A baby-related movie marathon had clearly been planned. There was a pile of movies on the table, including _Look Who's Talking_ , _Three Men and a Baby_ , and _Father Of the Bride Part II_. She shrugged and settled down on the couch to enjoy her frozen yogurt, putting her feet up to get comfortable

Lizzie felt the baby move soon after the credits for the second movie began. She laid a hand on her stomach for a moment and realized how rhythmic her movements were. The baby had hiccups. She laughed and asked.

"Do you guys want to feel something strange?"

"Is she moving?" Gigi asked. She reached out and then hesitated, pulling her hand back. "May I?"

"I love that you're asking but you don't need to, Gigi. You're not a stranger," Lizzie said as they scooted in closer to her. Gigi and Charlotte both tentatively laid hands on her belly to see if they could feel something. They barely had to wait. Gigi gasped.

"Whoa," Charlotte said under her breath, pulling her hand away for a moment before bringing it back.

"This is so cool," Gigi breathed. "She moves like this all the time?"

"She has hiccups right now," Lizzie clarified.

"I didn't even know babies could get hiccups in the womb!" Charlotte exclaimed.

"Neither did I. She had them a while ago during one of my ultrasounds. The technician explained that it's because the lungs are developing," she explained further. "It's happened a few times over the past two weeks but I've been the only one to feel it."

"Not even William?" Gigi glanced up to her.

"Not yet. She moves for him when he talks to her, though," Lizzie said happily.

"Does he talk to her often?"

"Every day."

"My brother's such a dork."

"But I still love him," Lizzie smiled.

"She's stopped." Charlotte dropped her hand.

"If she starts moving again, I'll let you know."

"Do you two want some tea or anything? I'm going to make some since we're paused."

"I'd love some. Thanks, Char," Lizzie said.

"Me too. Need any help?" Gigi asked as Charlotte got up.

"I'm good. I'll be back."

After she headed for the kitchen, Lizzie got up and felt the annoyingly familiar urge to pee. She hurried off to the bathroom, hearing Gigi's snickering behind her.

"All better?" Gigi asked when she returned.

"Yes. I'm getting to that lovely phase where my bladder begins to shrink," Lizzie sighed.

"I can't believe how quickly time is passing!" Gigi said as Lizzie sat back down.

"I'm only a week away from my third trimester," Lizzie said. "I'm probably going to explode to gargantuan proportions when I hit my eighth month."

"I call B.S.," Charlotte said, coming into the room with a tray of drinks. "People had a hard time believing Jane was having twins and your mom was all belly from the pictures I've seen. Me on other hand? I've seen the evidence. I'm going to look like Violet Beauregarde. You'll have to roll me from one room to the next."

Lizzie cackled. "As long as you do the same for me if I get there."

"Are you getting excited?" Gigi asked, turning her body to face Lizzie and Charlotte.

"That's one word for it." Lizzie glanced down at her hands before looking back up. "Nervous, terrified, eager…take your pick. Being pregnant really is a roller coaster of emotions sometimes."

"You okay?" Gigi tilted her head in concern.

"Yea…" Lizzie sighed. "I can't wait to meet her and hold her in my arms, but that doesn't mean I'm not a bit terrified about being in labor. Sometimes, it's hard to wrap my head around the fact that I have a human being growing inside of me and I'll be pushing her out in a few short months. Like…my body is built for this kind of thing. I willingly agreed to let it go through this massive change and at the end of it all, there's the pain of childbirth. Do you know how many women have told me their labor stories? I didn't ask them to tell me. They just see that I'm pregnant and decide to scare the ever-loving crap out of me for no good reason."

Charlotte scoffed. "I would have just walked away from them."

"I would have if they weren't clients. I have enough to worry about. We have an extra ultrasound next week to make sure she's developing like she should be and I'm trying not to get too in my head about it. I keep having to tell myself that she _will_ be okay," Lizzie said before adding. "And now that I feel her moving every day? I pay attention to that. If I don't feel her for a few hours, I worry that something's wrong with her. My first thought isn't that she's probably resting but that something's happened."

"Have you talked to William about this?" Charlotte asked.

"Only about her moving. He came home the other day and I was really stressed out because I hadn't felt her moving in _hours_. He calmed me down by having us listen to her heartbeat with the fetal monitor. I feel so silly jumping to the worst conclusion so quickly sometimes."

"I'm sure you're not the only one who's done this, Lizzie," Gigi offered. "Maybe you _should_ talk to William."

"I don't need him to worry more than he already is. We're both nervous about becoming parents. This is more something I need to vent about to girlfriends and my sisters but not my husband. I know I'm in good hands with William," Lizzie said, flashing a quick smile. "Now that we have a doula, I have someone to talk to who knows what I'm going through and help me get through it. William was right. She's a big help."

"My brother always goes that extra step," Gigi noted. "If he could figure out a way to have the baby himself, you know he would."

"Oh god, don't put that weird image in my head!" Lizzie laughed.

"You mean you don't want to picture William with the body of a seahorse?" Charlotte teased.

"Stop!" Lizzie waved her hands around to indicate that she had had enough. "Today has been really good and I'm glad you suggested it, Gigi. It's nice to hang out with you two and be able to talk about this. Honestly, I love being pregnant ninety-eight percent of the time, but my mind gets to me for that other two percent."

"We're here whenever you need us." Gigi took her hand. "And I'm sure Jane has plenty of advice too."

"She has seriously been a blessing. She's been more than happy to answer even my smallest questions. It helps to have someone close to you who's been through this before."

"So I get to come to you when I'm freaking out?" Gigi asked with a twinkle in her eyes.

"Do you have a secret to tell me?" Lizzie joked.

"No! The most action I've gotten in the past couple months was literally running into my next door neighbor," Gigi said flatly. "Much to the relief of my brother. He'd freak out even if I didn't get pregnant until I was forty."

"It's hard to watch your younger siblings grow up," Charlotte spoke. "Maria just moved in with her boyfriend. I keep thinking that's impossible, she's just a baby – but she's not."

"It's especially hard when they raised you," Lizzie said softly to Gigi.

"I love that though. He's so involved and shows that he cares. I know he wants me to have the best out of life." Gigi put a hand on Lizzie's stomach. "And he'll do the same for her. She lucked out. She's getting a good dad."

Lizzie smiled widely. "I know."

"And the mom isn't so bad either," Charlotte joked.

* * *

Lizzie came home shortly before nine to jazz music filling up the apartment. William was sitting on the couch with the back to the hallway so he was unable to see her come in. She quietly put her stuff down and slipped out of her shoes before walking over to him, noticing he was on the computer. She brushed her hand along his shoulders and he jumped a little before looking over his shoulder.

William grabbed at his chest, closing his computer. "You scared me."

"I'm sorry," Lizzie apologized. She walked around to join him and he moved his computer off his lap. He was barefoot and wearing his glasses, and comfortable jeans and a plain t-shirt. She bent down to kiss him hello. "Hi, handsome."

"Hi, beautiful," he replied, bringing his hands up to her hips and leaning in close to her belly. "Hello there, my sweet girl."

The baby kicked in response and he glanced up at her with a happy expression. Then he guided her to the couch and she lay down, resting her head in his lap.

"How was your day?"

'It was good. I had a really nice time with Gigi and Charlotte," Lizzie murmured. He rested one hand on top of her stomach and she closed her eyes momentarily as he began to run his fingers through her hair. "We went shopping and I found pants that actually fit me as well as some really comfortable shirts. I also got a few dresses and a few others things you'll like."

"Looking forward to seeing them."

"Then we went out to lunch, which was delicious and healthy. I balanced the healthy with some frozen yogurt afterwards," Lizzie said and William chuckled. "Then we had a baby-themed movie marathon at Charlotte's place. We had take-out for dinner and now I'm home with you."

"Baby-themed movie marathon?" William repeated. "Anything good?"

"Just some classic eighties and nineties movies that overdramatized everything."

"Isn't that usually the case?"

"Yea. My company should create a realistic series about it. Show women what they should _actually_ expect."

"It's not a bad idea, Lizzie," William said. "It would be good for nervous first-timers."

"Maybe, someday," Lizzie hummed, looking up at him. "How was your day?"

"Not bad. Some real progress is being made with the messaging app. I spent most of the morning with the team and caught up on some work in my office for the afternoon –"

"Did you eat lunch?" Lizzie interrupted. "I know you sometimes forget when you're in the office on the weekends."

"I did. I had lunch delivered," William assured her. "A turkey sandwich and fruit salad, if you were planning to ask."

"I wasn't but thank you for the details," Lizzie said with a bright expression. He leaned down and kissed her forehead.

"I spent most of the afternoon in the office and then I ran a few errands before meeting up with Fitz for dinner," William concluded. "I've been reading for most of the evening, waiting for you to come home."

"Sounds quite relaxing," Lizzie murmured, letting her eyes droop.

"You're tired," William said matter-of-factly and she nodded. "Did you over-exert yourself?"

"It's just been a long day," Lizzie shrugged.

"How would you like to continue this conversation in the bedroom? I won't even be upset if you fall asleep on me."

Lizzie laughed. "First of all, you're used to me falling asleep on you. Second of all, I would have fallen asleep on you in here."

William brushed his knuckles along her cheek. "But this way, you won't fall asleep in these clothes."

"I knew there was a reason I wanted to keep you."

William smiled and stood up, offering her a hand and helping her up. He slid his arm around her waist and they sauntered to the bedroom together.

* * *

 _Wednesday, August 22nd (28 weeks and 5 days)_

Lizzie had officially hit her third trimester the previous Friday when they had their extra ultrasound. She expressed her worries about the baby and the possibilities of the results to William a couple days prior and he confessed to feeling some anxiety as well. Somehow it made her feel better, knowing that she wasn't alone in her concerns. They discussed it a little more while they sat in the waiting room before finally being called in. While they knew they wouldn't be told the results of the ultrasound, they were more than happy to watch their daughter on the monitor as the technician took her measurements and made her notes. In the end, William couldn't resist and asked if everything was all right. The technician said nothing as she handed him pictures she printed out but gave them a reassuring smile.

They didn't hear about the results until at the end of Lizzie's doctor appointment on Wednesday afternoon. Dr. Gates asked how she was doing as she examined her and took measurements of her belly before listening for the heartbeat with her fetal monitor.

"She has a good, strong heartbeat," Dr. Gates noted. "You're beginning to round out more. I told you some women take longer."

Lizzie had noticed it, as well. While she her stomach seemed to change from day to day because of the baby's position, she no longer had belly envy. She had begun to wear her maternity pants last week and couldn't believe the difference in comfort. The best part was that William told her that she made them look sexy. Thankfully, she had yet to experience the swollen ankles but it helped that her husband would massage her feet at night after work.

"Alright, I'm sure you're antsy to hear the results of the ultrasound," Dr. Gates said, clicking away at her keyboard.

"Maybe just a little," William commented and Lizzie reached out for his hand.

"From the technician's notes, your baby was very cooperative this time. She could see all the chambers of the heart and saw no malformations," Dr. Gates read and William squeezed Lizzie's hand "And both kidneys are the same size and appear to be growing at the same rate."

"What a relief," Lizzie breathed.

"Sometimes, one kidney grows faster than the other. Most of the time, as with your case, it's nothing. I just wanted to check to be sure," Dr. Gates explained.

"We appreciate it," William thanked her. "What should we expect now?"

"Now you start preparing for her arrival. You have eleven weeks to go but time goes by quickly. You should take your tour of the labor and delivery department soon," Dr. Gates suggested. She went on to ask if they had signed up for the childbirth class, which they had and would be taking in a couple weeks. Afterwards, they asked a few more questions before they were done. All in all, it had been a successful appointment and they left it feeling happier than they had been all week.

* * *

 _Friday, August 24th (29 weeks)_

Bing, Jane, and the twins were set to arrive in San Francisco in the late afternoon for Lizzie's baby shower on Saturday. They made arrangements to stay in a hotel since Mr. and Mrs. Bennet would be using the remaining guest room at Lizzie and William's once they arrived in the morning.

They made tentative plans to meet Lizzie and William after work at their apartment, even offering to bring over dinner so they wouldn't have to go through any extra trouble. Lizzie and William happily agreed and made sure to leave their offices on time. The two had only been home for thirty minutes when they heard knocks on the door.

"Already? I'm glad I left when I did," Lizzie commented. They had finished changing out of their work clothes and were setting up the table for dinner.

"I'll get it," William offered, handing her the rest of the forks and quickly kissing her cheek. She flashed him a smile as he headed down the hallway and to the front door. There was the sound of the door being unlocked and then children shouting, followed by Jane and Bing's distinct voices saying not to attack their uncle. Lizzie laughed, clearly able to picture it, and put the last fork down before walking towards the noise. When she turned the corner, she saw Scarlett and Charlie firmly attached to William's legs as he lumbered down the hallway. He locked eyes with her and his face broke out into a boyish grin as he continued his trek.

"Hello there," Lizzie said warmly, waving to Bing and Jane who were behind the spectacle.

"Lizzie!" Jane exclaimed. She handed Bing a bag of food, hurried over, and gave her a hug before pulling away and grabbing her hands. Her eyes darted down to her belly and then back up. "Look at you! It's so good to see you."

"You too!" Lizzie said. She was unable to resist the urge to glance down at her belly for a moment. She beamed at Bing as he walked past her to put the food down. "I've grown a bit since last we saw each other."

"You look amazing!" Jane said happily, laying her hands on her round belly for a moment. Bing popped up next to Jane and she pulled her hands away.

"You really do," Bing agreed, giving Lizzie a hug. "How are you feeling?"

"Pretty good, actually. Today is a good day."

Giggles from the twins continued when William made it to the end of the hallway and paused, taking an exaggerated breath. Lizzie knew he could handle them, especially with the amount of bicycling and yoga he had been doing. Jane turned to look at her kids and bent down to their level. "Are you going to say hello to your Auntie Lizzie? Remember to be careful."

Scarlett and Charlie began to detach themselves from William's legs and toddled over to her, giving her big smiles. William took the opportunity to help Bing get dinner all set up.

"Hi Auntie Lizzie!" they chorused. Lizzie got down on her knees, a little slowly, and held out her arms. Scarlett hugged her first and planted a big kiss on her cheek.

"Thank you," Lizzie smiled at her as she pulled away.

"Mommy says we hafta be careful around your tummy," Scarlett said, stepping back as Charlie hugged Lizzie.

"Is your tummy okay?" Charlie asked with genuine concern. It was such a sweet question and Lizzie held back her laugh.

"Do you remember me and your uncle William telling you that you're going to have a cousin soon?" Lizzie reminded them, glancing up at Jane. She had an encouraging look on her face and let her continue. They reminded them nearly every Sunday during their phone calls when Lizzie would give updates to Jane and Bing.

"Uh huh," they both said.

"Well, she's in my tummy. She still has to grow bigger and get stronger before she comes out. I'm protecting her right here," Lizzie said, putting her hands on her belly.

Charlie walked over to Jane and tugged on her leg before she picked him up. Scarlett came closer to her and Lizzie saw the nervous look on Jane's face. She bent over and put her hands on her stomach and Jane took a step forward. Lizzie gave her a look to let her know it was okay and Scarlett leaned in close.

"Hellooo!" Scarlett shouted to her belly. Lizzie pressed her bottom lips together to keep from breaking at the sight before her. "Auntie Lizzie, can she hear me?"

"I don't know. She might if you get closer," Lizzie suggested playfully. She could feel William's eyes on her but she didn't dare look. Lizzie maneuvered herself so she was cross-legged and sitting on her butt instead of her knees and Scarlett climbed into her lap. She said 'hello' and introduced herself, babbling for a few moments. Then she pressed her ear to Lizzie's stomach and Lizzie brushed her hair out of the way. Scarlett pulled back and Lizzie looked at her expectantly.

"It sounds like the ocean!"

She heard snorts behind her and then throats clearing to mask it.

"The ocean, huh?"

"Ya! Just like when Mommy and Daddy took us. It's all 'whoosh' and stuff." Scarlett climbed out of her lap. Lizzie heard more snickers and glanced behind her shoulder to see William and Bing's shoulders shaking. She quickly turned back so she wouldn't start laughing too. "When will she come out?"

"Right around your birthday," Lizzie answered. "You'll meet her at Thanksgiving."

"Mommy, is that a long time away?" Charlie spoke up. Scarlett seemingly lost interest and ran over to Bing, holding up her arms until he picked her up.

"You'll be meeting your new cousin in a few months," Jane replied. "And it will be sooner than you realize."

Lizzie sat there and digested Jane's words, realizing that there were only so many weeks left until the baby was born. It was less than three months away and she felt a flutter of excitement in her chest. There was a hand on her shoulder and she whipped her head around to see William looking at her with a warm expression. He must have been feeling the same thing.

"Dinner's ready," William said gently, offering her a hand. She took it and he helped her up before he brushed his lips across her temple.

"That went well, I think," Lizzie murmured, only loud enough for him to hear.

"At least they didn't use your legs for transportation," William replied.

Lizzie snickered. "I think you'll need to get used to that, mister."

His lips tipped up. "Gladly."

* * *

 _Saturday, August 25th (29 weeks and 1 day)_

Saturday morning was a flurry of activity. Lizzie's parents arrived as she and William were finishing up breakfast, nearly an hour earlier than they were expecting. Mrs. Bennet was eager to see her grandchildren and start setting up for the baby shower that wasn't for another six hours. Lizzie was more than fine about the early arrival, considering she hadn't seen her father since they brought him home from the hospital. They called to check up on him once a week but it was a different thing entirely to see him in person. William grabbed their suitcases and took Mrs. Bennet with him to let Lizzie and her dad have a little time to catch up.

"I'm so glad you're here, Dad," Lizzie said, pulling away from their hug. "You look fantastic. How are you feeling?"

"Quite well, actually," Mr. Bennet replied. "I've been back to work since Monday and I'm taking my time to get settled. They have been very understanding about my health. Your mother is still hell-bent on making sure I'm eating right but today is a cheat day so I'm having dessert." Lizzie laughed at his admission. "I'm also going on my daily walks. She's even joining me sometimes."

"That's really good to hear, Dad," Lizzie said. "Maybe you and I can go on a walk while you're here this weekend. William and I have gotten in the habit of it."

"That sounds lovely, dear," Mr. Bennet said as Lizzie led them to the couch. "You look splendid. How's my granddaughter doing?"

"She's pretty active lately and my doctor says she's right on track with her development," Lizzie said. Then she held up a finger and stopped herself from sitting down. "Which reminds me. I have a picture for you and Mom. I'll be right back."

Lizzie went to the nursery to grab a copy of the latest sonogram. They had been keeping them there and planned on framing them to hang on the wall. They had been too busy to get to it just yet. Her father was sitting on the couch when she returned and gave it to him.

"We had an ultrasound last week to make sure everything was okay," Lizzie explained, joining him.

"She's getting big," Mr. Bennet noted proudly. "You and Jane have so many ultrasounds these days. It wasn't as common with you girls. Your mother had one for each of you, only because she was insistent and wanted to know what we were having each time."

"They're more cautious now. I'm grateful for these glimpses. Nine months is a long time to wait to see your child."

"The wait is worth it," Mr. Bennet said, resting a hand on tops of hers.

There was a rise of noise coming from the bottom of the staircase and they knew Mrs. Bennet was coming back up, William just behind her.

"What are y'all sittin' around for? Don't we have a baby shower to get ready for?"

* * *

Lizzie and William escaped the hectic atmosphere of their place, where Mrs. Bennet, her sisters, Gigi, and Charlotte were getting things ready. Mr. Bennet and Bing joined them but the twins stayed behind at the insistence of Mrs. Bennet. They took a leisure walk down the bay to waste time by people watching, window shopping, and chatting. They had a few hours to kill before they needed to return and get ready. Lizzie walked ahead with her dad, looping her arm with his as they did and looking especially radiant. Bing and William were a bit behind them, despite their longer legs, and William offered a warm look whenever she glanced back to see where they were.

"How are you doing, Darce?" Bing asked.

"About as well as to be expected," William replied. "It seems to be going by so quickly and not quickly enough at the same time."

"I know exactly what you mean. You want as much time as possible to prepare but you're also anxious."

"Pretty much," William nodded, slipping his hands in his pockets. "There's just so much going through my head and I can't figure out how to sort through it."

"Maybe I can help?"

"I was thinking about it the other day. How do I know that something my daughter does was something that I did when _I_ was a baby? I don't know what my sleeping habits were, if I responded well to breastfeeding, or what kind of quirks I had as I grew older. My parents never told me these things. The big developments are in my baby book but there's not much else. The home videos don't tell me anything."

"I know it's hard, Darcy. But you know you have support."

"I know I have you and Thomas to go to for help and Lizzie is incredible when it comes to my parents. I love her so much for her sensitivity towards the subject." Darcy looked at him for a moment. "But this feels different. I wish I could just call my parents and ask them some small question about when I was a newborn. I just…I have to make sure to write everything down for my daughter. I want her to know the big moments as well as the tiniest ones. There's no intention of me not being there for her, but I don't want her to go through the same struggles I did when she gets to this moment."

"I think that's the best you can offer," Bing agreed. "With the exception of recording every moment of her life for the next eighteen years."

William chuckled softly. "Even Lizzie would say that's too much."

"Things are going to be fine, Darcy."

"I do have a few other worries…"

"Like?"

"Like, how do I know I'm being a good father? What happens if I drop her? I mean, I don't _plan_ to drop her but I have this inane fear that I will. What if I can't bond with her or she can't stand it when I hold her? There are so many things that I can't plan for," William sighed, his words heavy with implication.

"Every single father will ask those questions," Bing assured him. "Do you want to know something? Babies aren't as fragile as you think they may be."

William frowned. "They're completely dependent on you for so long."

"And that's the _best_ part of fatherhood," Bing insisted. "Feeding them, bathing them, dressing them, and watching them grow before your eyes. You know Thomas wasn't an expert when Jane was born. He learned with time. I sure as hell had no idea what I was doing when Charlie and Scarlett were born and there were _two_ of them. It was a balancing act and I figured it out, slowly and surely. I love those two more than I ever thought I could love anyone and that includes Jane. Do you want to know when I realized I was a good father?"

"How?"

"The first time I soothed Scarlett's midnight cries," Bing said simply.

William quirked an eyebrow "That early?"

"It wasn't a big revelation or anything. I did what I was capable of and that meant being there for them and helping them through those tears. I've changed hundreds of diapers, been spit up on more times than I can count, lost full nights of sleep, and I wouldn't trade one single moment for anything. You know what makes it worth it? That first smile, those first steps, and those first words. Now when I tell them I love them, they tell me they love me back. It makes all those bad nights seem like nothing."

"Wow, Bing," William breathed. It was like he was realizing just how much his friend had grown and he could see how much fatherhood was shaping him. He was a completely different person from five years ago.

"Darcy, you're going to be a great father. You have all that experience from raising Gigi." William started to protest and Bing held up his hand to stop him. "I know you don't think it's the same thing because she was a teen when you started. But you were barely an adult then and look how she turned out. You're going to be fantastic."

"You think so?"

"Dude, I know it," Bing said. Lizzie called their names and pointed in the direction of a restaurant just up ahead, letting them know she and her dad found a place for lunch. William nodded and let her know they'd catch up with them in a minute.

"And about your worry that you'll drop her, I never dropped Charlie or Scarlett," Bing said. "You feel very protective of them when they're in your arms. It's an instinct."

"That's good to know."

"But there might be a time where you bang their head on something."

William chuckled in surprise. "Did you?"

"I knocked Charlie's head on the frame of the car door twice when he was a baby," Bing admitted. "Jane hit Scarlett's on the back of a chair once when she bent down to pick up a toy."

"You're kidding."

"She will deny it," Bing said. "I'm just saying that we're not perfect parents. So few people are. Don't run yourself ragged trying to be one. Do your best and be there for her."

William exhaled. "Thanks, Bing."

"Anytime, Darcy. I mean that," Bing replied, clapping him on the back. "We should join Lizzie and Thomas."

"Yea. Good idea." William checked his watch and they began to head towards the restaurant. "Did I tell you Lizzie and I have been taking yoga classes? I'm actually really enjoying myself."

Bing grinned. "I knew you would."

* * *

The four of them returned to a completely transformed apartment. There were yellow, green, and white streamers hung all around the place. The dining room table had been covered with a table cloth and there were piles of plain white onesies, along with markers, paint, and other decorations. Another table with a matching table-cloth and a banner that said 'baby gifts' had been set up between the living room and the kitchen. A few presents were already placed there that had been mailed to them.

The furniture had been rearranged to create a more open space and some extra chairs were brought in and there was a 'Baby Shower' banner hanging above the window seat. There was a large calendar hung on the wall at the end of the hallway with 'When will Baby Darcy arrive?' on the top and a pen hanging on a string attached to it. The kitchen island was designated for all the food and there were two small towers of cupcakes with various designs of baby footprints, pacifiers, and the word 'baby' on them. The only sign of pink within the room were the few balloons around the room with 'Girl' written on them. It was everything Lizzie didn't know she wanted.

They barely had time to check out everything in the place. People were due to arrive soon and they had to get ready.

William wore a pair of dark blue fitted jeans, a white button down with the sleeves rolled up, a dark blue bow tie that Lizzie picked out, and a gray vest. Lizzie wore one of her favorite new purchases. It was a knee-length knotted style empire waist dress in a soft lavender shade with a lavender floral print. It was made of stretchy fabric, giving Lizzie plenty of comfort and highlighting her belly at the same time. She wore a pair of black flats to go with it and curled her hair, leaving it down. When she stepped out of the bathroom to show William, he lit up with happiness and told her she looked gorgeous before she could even say a word. Her passionate kiss let him know that she approved of his outfit as well.

It wasn't long before the apartment was filled with guests, from their closest friends and family members to coworkers and other close employees. Everybody picked out a date on the due date calendar as soon as they walked in and the baby gift table was filling up, with the biggest gifts placed on the floor beside it. The onesie decorating station was a hit and Jane hung each finished up on a line with clothes pins. Lizzie and William would take turns showing interested guests the nursery, which still needed a few more personal touches but was mostly done. It was a relaxing party, despite the number of people, partially because they had no set schedule or baby games planned. The only exception was presents.

"Hey," Charlotte approached Lizzie a couple hours into the party. "You should probably start opening the gifts soon or everyone is going to be here until midnight."

Lizzie glanced at the gift table to find it overflowing. "Wow. Last I looked, the table was half-full."

"Your baby is popular," Charlotte teased.

Lizzie went searching for her husband but didn't see him anywhere in the crowd-filled room. She went to check the nursery and passed a couple people leaving the room. She stepped inside and found William standing in the room by himself, his gaze fixed on the crib.

"Hey," Lizzie said softly. He turned around and smiled when he saw that it was her. "Having fun?"

"Just needed a moment of quiet. It's a lot of people," William said as she approached him

"It is," Lizzie agreed, playing with the bottom hem of his vest. "I swear we didn't have this many people at the wedding."

William chuckled. "It only seems that way because they're all in our home. We're missing a few key people too."

"It's okay," Lizzie shrugged. "Mary barely makes it down from Seattle for the holidays only now so I didn't expect her for this. It was nice of her to send a present though. And I don't remember the last time Caroline flew to the States."

"It's been a while," William said absently. Lizzie looked at him expectantly and he waved it off, bringing a hand up to her belly. "How are you doing?"

"We're doing well. Just needed a moment of quiet too," He hummed and leaned forward, kissing her forehead. "I also came looking for you because Charlotte wants us to start opening gifts."

"It's an intimidating collection of presents."

"I'm excited to see what we're getting."

"I will admit I'm intrigued too," William said, offering his arm. "Let's get back before people think we've ditched our own shower."

When they got back in the room, Jane and Gigi had set up two chairs near the table and everybody was finding a place to sit. They took their places and Charlotte sat closest to them, holding a pad and pen to keep track of who gave what. Bing, Lydia and Brandon headed downstairs with the twins, with plans of entertaining them in the meantime.

Lizzie picked up a gift from the end of the table, looking for the label to see who it was from. She found the card, read it, and passed it to William. He read it out loud for everyone else before handing the card to Charlotte so she could make a note of it. She opened the present, which turned out to be a couple children's books, onesies to match, and two packages of diapers. Jane took the onesies and hung it up on a clothesline she set up against the kitchen cabinets to show off. The next handful of presents were some items off their registry along with toys, books, and cute clothes for their daughter that ranged from newborn all the way to twelve months.

"Open a big one!" Someone called out soon.

"Okay, okay. Let's go with…" Lizzie looked around and then pointed to one with 'baby' printed all over the wrapping paper. "That one."

William jumped from his seat to get the box to move in front of Lizzie and she thanked him. She grabbed the card and opened it, her face lighting up over finally getting to the first gift from actual family.

"This one is from my mom and dad," Lizzie said, sending a warm glance to her parents. She and William tore off the wrapping paper to reveal a Mamaroo, an infant swing seat.

"Isn't it just lovely?" Mrs. Bennet spoke up. "I was assured that this is the most popular seat around. It bounces and sways at five speeds. Five! I went to a number of stores because the website wanted nearly three-hundred dollars! That's just ridiculous, if you ask me. Babies "R" Us was just as pricey and let me tell you, they were snobby to boot! I found it for nearly half that at Target! It was such a bargain!"

"Thank you, Mom!" Lizzie said quickly, preventing her mom from rambling on further. She saw a hint of a smile from William out of the corner of her eyes and she didn't dare look at him for fear that she would laugh.

"It's a very thoughtful gift, Fran. I'm sure we'll be using it often," William assured. "And thank you, Thomas."

"It's our pleasure," Mr. Bennet replied.

William moved it to the side and grabbed the next large gift that had two smaller boxes on top with the same wrapping paper.

"This one is from…Fitz and Brandon," William read from the tag and then looked up to find them both.

"Brandon's downstairs. Let me get him," Fitz said, hurrying down the stairs. The chatter noise level rose in the room as they waited.

"Leave it to Fitz and Brandon to get us big things," Lizzie noted, quiet enough for only her husband to hear.

"Fitz is excited for us. I don't think he could resist," William replied.

"For once, I don't mind," Lizzie shrugged. Brandon and Fitz returned quickly, bounding up the stairs and Fitz nodded to William to open things. He and Lizzie read the card together before handing it to Charlotte and grabbing the gift on top. When Lizzie opened it, she gasped and then laughed.

"Oh my god. This is amazing," Lizzie said, holding up a pale green newborn-sized onesie. On the front was written ' _A Bennet-Darcy Production_ ' in fancy lettering.

"Keep looking," Fitz smirked. Lizzie pulled the tissue paper apart and her eyes widened.

"There's another one!" Lizzie exclaimed, pulling out a twelve-month onesie with the same phrase. There were a few other onesies in the box that were in various colors. One had ' _I love my Uncle Fitz and Uncle Brandon_ ' on the front and another that said ' _Made with Love.'_ The last onesie had a tiny pink bowtie below the collar with the phrase ' _My Daddy Wears Bowties'_.

"You _would_ think of this," William chuckled, holding up the last one. "I love it."

"I hope you don't mind but I couldn't resist a little pink," Fitz noted.

"Not at all," Lizzie beamed. "I don't think I can pick a favorite!"

"They can all be your favorite," Brandon offered.

"I love these all, you guys. Thank you so much."

"Open the next present," Fitz urged. Lizzie and William handed the onesies to Jane to hang them up and they grabbed the next box, which was noticeably heavier.

"Books!" Lizzie breathed, taking out a handful of classic children's books.

"You two have a very empty bookshelf in that nursery," Brandon said. "It should be filled to the brim so that girl has variety."

"I think we can fill up two shelves with the amount of books we've gotten so far," William said. "And the closet with diapers."

"You can never have too many diapers," Jane chimed in and a few other women laughed at that.

There was one large box left from Fitz and Brandon that was waiting to be opened. When the wrapping was removed, Lizzie and William discovered it was two presents wrapped together. There was a baby sling carrier in a small box and a Baby Bjorn carrier in the larger one.

"One for each other of you," Fitz said. "Or both of you. You can switch it up. I'm sure you'll look great in that sling, Darcy."

"I'll happily strap on whatever I need to carry my daughter around," William countered.

Lizzie reached over and squeezed his forearm and they shared a warm look. "Thank you for your generous gifts, you two."

"You're welcome!" they responded together.

Brandon headed back downstairs, promising to send Lydia up soon. They opened a few more gifts that included a boppyy for breastfeeding, a pack 'n play set, and more diapers.

One of the most thoughtful and unexpected gifts came from Sue Reynolds. Lizzie was already so pleased that she was able to make it. William would come home from work and tell her that Sue would ask for an update on how she was feeling at least once a week. She was as much a part of the family as Fitz and Charlotte.

"Sue, this is _beautiful_ ," Lizzie said softly, pulling out a pewter-colored ribbed knit blanket. "It's so soft too! Did you make this?"

Lizzie showed it to William and had him feel the material. He was just as surprised as she was with the amount of work and how light it was.

"I did," Sue said proudly. "I got to work on it as soon as William told me the good news. I hope you don't mind the color. I didn't know what you were having then. I've made one for my kids and all my grandkids."

"This must have taken you so much time, Sue," William said, clearly touched by her gesture. Sue waved it off.

"Don't even think about it. I loved having the opportunity to make another one."

"Well, it's wonderful so I'm glad you did," Lizzie spoke up. "It will keep our daughter in the stroller."

William got up and walked over to give Sue a hug, exchanging a few more personal words with each other. It was a few moments before something she said made him break out into a smile, nodding before she sat back down and William returned to Lizzie's side. A significant dent had been made in the presents on the table when Lydia finally rejoined the party. Lizzie looked through the tags to find her sister's and set it down next to her feet.

"What did I miss?" Lydia quipped, bouncing into a chair next to Jane.

"We were just about to get to yours!" Lizzie said, holding up a big bag.

Lizzie pulled out the card and she and William read it together, her expression softening at the sweet things her sister wrote for them. When they were finished, she pulled apart the tissue paper to see what was inside. Her head whipped up to Lydia in shock. Lydia simply grinned.

"Are you serious?"

"I saw that you didn't have one and I know how much you two love the movie," Lydia said. "And you should get started on getting your kid to like it too!"

Lizzie pulled out a handmade mobile with the characters from _The Princess Bride_ hanging from a hoop, including Princess Buttercup on a white horse. There was a little boat in the middle with a sail and the words 'As You Wish' stitched onto it.

"Lydia, the detail…" William said, clearly impressed. "Where did you find this?"

"I enlisted the help of a friend. Theater people can be pretty crafty," Lydia told them. "And there's something else in the bag."

"Oh!" Lizzie realized. She dug around and pulled out an adorable gray short-sleeved onesie with the outline of the Man in Black's face, a sword, and the infamous line below it. "I love it! At this point, she's going to have a different outfit every day until she turns one!"

"Hopefully she doesn't grow out of them too quickly!" Gigi teased.

"You never know. She might take after her dad," Lizzie glanced at William, giving him a little nudge. William smiled in defeat of the joke that had been continuing over the past few months. He put his arm around Lizzie's shoulder and kissed her temple.

"There's actually one more thing," Lydia spoke up, exchanging a glance with Gigi and Jane. Gigi stood up and headed for the front door.

"It's a joint gift from me and your sisters!" Gigi yelled from down the hall. They heard the click of the door opening and then closing. A moment later, Gigi reemerged from the hallway pushing a stroller with a big red bow placed in the front. The particular stroller that Lizzie and William had picked out for themselves but had yet to buy had been deemed the safest on the market for the last three years in a row. It opened and closed by the push of a button, had generators in the wheels that could charge a cell phone, lights beneath the base to help with evening strolls, and had three different modes that could be changed from the infant car seat carrier to baby stroller to toddler.

Lizzie and William jumped up from their chairs to thank their siblings. Some others came over to look at the stroller, playing with its features.

From there, they noticed their presents were mostly items from their registry and were almost always accompanied with diapers. Their guests were smart too. The diapers sizes ranged from newborn to size three from a few different brands, just like the onesies brought them all the way to eighteen months.

Jane and Bing were generous, gifting them a big basket full of essentials Lizzie and William would need for themselves for the first couple months after the baby was born. Then, as if Jane was trying to outdo herself, she gave Lizzie a handful of outfits that she designed and made herself. Her two favorites were a little outfit that had sewn-in red suspenders and a little blue ruffly skirt. The other was a set of pajamas with a top that looked like a miniature version of Lizzie's infamous plaid shirt.

Charlotte and Sam gave them a neutral-colored diaper bag so Lizzie and William could both use it. Sam instructed her to check inside the bag and all Lizzie could see was the mischievous sparkle in her best friend's eyes. She had filled every single inch of the diaper bag with trinkets for the baby. It took over ten minutes for Lizzie and William to empty it out, even finding things in supposedly secret compartments, and everybody was roaring with laughter by the end of it.

One of the last gifts on the table came from the most unexpected person.

"Ricky Collins?" Lizzie frowned in confusion, looking over to Charlotte.

"He mailed it to me to give to you. I have no idea what it is," Charlotte told her. Ricky Collins was one of the people they hadn't told. It wasn't on purpose or anything. He was in Canada and they had lost touch. Charlotte would give her updates but even those were rare. Lizzie and William shared a look as she opened the envelope.

 _Greetings and Salutations Mrs. Darcy_ _née_ _Bennet,_

 _I hope this finds you well. I have heard through the grapevine that you are expecting! I wish to extend my felicitations to you and Mr. Darcy! It is indeed a rather joyous experience to create life. My Jamie and I, too, have been blessed to bring a child into this world! We have learned a great deal from our addition and suspect that you will benefit from the same._

Lizzie kept on reading, skimming over a large portion of the letter that included various labor plans, advice on the best birthing positions, and the statistical odds of her going into labor on her actual due date. It was bizarre to say the least and exactly something Ricky Collins would do.

 _Included with this letter is a gift that I would like to bestow upon you. It has been extremely advantageous in preventing many a sleepless nights and hope that it will have the same effect on your little one as it did for ours._

 _Give my regards to Mr. Darcy and best wishes to you, Mrs. Darcy._

 _Yours in parental harmony,_

 _Mr. Collins_

Lizzie sat there for a moment, completely dumbfounded.

"Ricky has a baby?" Lizzie looked to Charlotte in bewilderment.

"Excuse me?" William raised an eyebrow and Lizzie handed him the letter so he could read it.

"The funny thing is that I don't really know that much," Charlotte admitted. "About eight months ago, he went on leave for a month. There were a bunch of rumors and then a company-wide email was sent out congratulating him on the most recent addition to the Collins family."

"Open the present already!" Lydia whined.

"Oh!" Lizzie grabbed the gift and quickly tore off the shipping paper and opened the package. She pulled out a box and she heard the murmurs of approval from Jane and a few others. It was a baby sound machine and it boasted twelve different sounds, an MP3 player plug-in, a soft glow nightlight, and auto-shut off timer on the box.

"We wanted that one but it was sold out at the time," Jane told Lizzie. "Seriously, you're going to love that present. That was thoughtful of Ricky!"

"We'll have to send him a thank-you note," William commented and Lizzie nodded.

There were only a couple gifts left after that, all consisting of books, toys, and outfits for the baby. Afterwards, there was a bit more mingling but it wasn't long before the party and the guests began to dwindle. Lizzie and William could only handle having so many people in their house for so long. Their friends and family stayed behind to clean everything up while their last guest left, with the exception of Lydia who went to work. Lizzie plopped herself onto the couch, too tired to do anything. The guys took down all the decorations while Jane and Gigi took care of the decorated and gifted onesies. They folded them and put them in piles according to size before Jane put them away in the nursery, much to Lizzie's delight. Then their friends headed out, taking some of the leftover food with them.

Lizzie and William and the rest of the family spent the evening catching up and going through their gifts. It was clear how tired everyone was from the long day when the twins both fell asleep at the dinner table. Jane and Bing said their goodbyes a while later and made plans to meet at a nearby restaurant for breakfast in the morning. Mr. Bennet convinced his wife to join him downstairs for the rest of the evening. For what felt like the first time all day, Lizzie and William were alone. They sat across from each other on the couch, with William massaging Lizzie's feet and decompressing.

"Long day," Lizzie murmured, her gaze focused on her husband.

"Very," William agreed. "But it was a good one."

"Mmhmm," Lizzie agreed, pausing for a moment. "That feels really nice."

"Maybe you can do me next," William teased.

"Not while my parents are downstairs," Lizzie smirked and he shook his head, laughing. She rested her head on the pillow and glanced to the looming pile of opened gifts nearby. All the clothing had been taken care of but everything else was waiting for a place in the nursery.

"I can't believe we got so much," Lizzie remarked.

"I think you said the same thing after our wedding."

"Who knew a baby needed so many gizmos and gadgets?" Lizzie said.

"I'd say it's more for comfort and convenience than necessity. There have been thousands of babies born who went without sleep machines and a swinging chair. Some of these things weren't even available when _we_ were babies," William commented. "Not that it matters. We have it and we'll use it, especially if it helps her."

"Exactly," Lizzie smiled, gently rubbing her belly.

"She's getting an early start on being spoiled."

Lizzie winced a little but William didn't catch it. "I suppose."

"She's a Darcy. It can't be helped," William shrugged and Lizzie blinked.

"Really, Will?"

"What?"

"She's half Bennet too," Lizzie pointed out. "I worked hard to earn things as a child and to get to where I am. I wasn't raised in luxury and it's taken me a long time with you to not worry about money like I used to. I know we have the resources to give her everything she'll want but I don't want her thinking it will all be handed to her so easily."

"You're right," William agreed, frowning at what he said. He mentally reprimanded himself for slipping back into old patterns. "I…got ahead of myself."

Lizzie reached up and brushed her fingers across the crinkles on his forehead, helping him relax.

"It happens," Lizzie comforted him, knowing he was mad at himself.

"We're going to have to work together find a good parenting balance between the two of us."

"Yes, we are," Lizzie said sternly.

"Will you make sure that we're not spoiling her in excess?"

"We'll figure it out together but I think I've got a pretty good handle on it," Lizzie said. "Just in case you didn't know, saying she's a Darcy is _not_ the reasoning you use when she asks for that pony in five years."

"Duly noted."

* * *

Lizzie and William spent early Sunday morning with her dad, taking a walk with them like she'd promised. Then they met up with the rest of the family and had breakfast by the pier. The morning passed by too quickly and they were saying their goodbyes to the Lee family, getting big hugs from Scarlett and Charlie and telling them that they would calling them every Sunday as usual. There were tears as their car pulled away from the curb to head to the airport, but they were mostly from Mrs. Bennet.

Lizzie's parents offered their help in organizing the nursery and putting away the rest of the baby gifts. They were thankful for the help because it finally gave them time to personalize the room. By the time they were finished, the nursery was transformed with toys neatly put away in big baskets, the gadgets in their place, and framed pictures on the wall, including their sonograms. Mrs. Bennet took forever to actually get out the door when they were leaving, but Lizzie didn't mind so much. It had been a nice weekend and it was much better circumstances than the last time they had all seen each other. Lizzie sent her parents home with what little was left of the party food. The irony was not lost on her.

* * *

 _Friday, August 31st (30 weeks)_

William awoke with a start. Something had woken him up but in his disoriented state, he couldn't figure out what. He turned to Lizzie's side of the bed to pull her in close when he discovered she wasn't there. He looked to the clock on the bedside table, squinting to make sense of the numbers.

It was 1:24 in the morning.

He grabbed his glasses and pulled himself out of bed to find his wife, not bothering to put on a shirt. He shuffled down the hallway and heard the clatter of metal coming from the kitchen. When he entered, he found exactly what he was not expecting.

Only the overhead lights lit the kitchen, half-used ingredients were spread across the kitchen island, and Lizzie had her back to him. She was struggling to reach for something from the cupboard and she was wearing his old college sweatshirt, her pale pink underwear peaking from beneath as she stretched out.

"Lizzie? What's going on?" William asked, closing the distance between them. Lizzie jumped a little and turned, giving up on her quest.

"I'm baking a cake," Lizzie told him, as if it were a normal occurrence at 1:30 in the morning.

"In the middle of the night?" William scratched the back of his neck, clearly befuddled.

"Baby wants a chocolate cake," Lizzie explained, putting a hand on her belly. The sweatshirt stretch slightly at her round mid-section but otherwise, the material engulfed her. "I can't get the pan. It's on the top shelf." She pointed to the cupboard in question.

William reached over her and grabbed what she needed with ease, his brows still furrowing as he handed it to her.

"Do you…want me to go out and buy you a cake?"

"No," Lizzie shook her head, returning to the island and putting the pan down. "I have a big craving for a homemade cake. I was literally _dreaming_ about cake. It was floating above me and I couldn't grab it."

"So you got up to make it," William said matter-of-factly.

"Yea," Lizzie replied, pulling at her bottom lip.

"That's some craving."

Lizzie looked up from her ingredients and sheepishly smiled.

"May I help?"

"Really?"

"All this talk of cake makes me want some too. What kind are you making?"

"The best kind," Lizzie said. "A chocolate fudge cake."

"Sounds delicious," William murmured, leaning into her. "Tell me what I can do."

Lizzie smiled and turned the music player in the kitchen, setting it to a favorite playlist of theirs. William spent the next fifteen minutes reading the instructions out loud while Lizzie measured before he would add them to the mixer. She set the timer as he put the cake in the oven and he took to cleaning the used dishes while she quickly whipped up an easy chocolate frosting, putting it in the fridge to let it set.

William leaned against the counter, crossing his arms, and watched her as she cleaned up the last her mess. She ducked her head after a moment and he could faintly see the coloring of her cheeks from the soft lighting above. He wondered if his daughter would have the same propensity to blush like her mother or observe at length like him.

"Stop staring," she murmured in a tone that suggested she didn't actually mind.

"Sorry," he said, keeping his gaze on her. "How do you still look so beautiful in the middle of the night with flour in your hair and chocolate on your cheek?"

Lizzie's hand flew to her face, wiping at it until she got the chocolate. "I'm a messy baker."

William closed the distance between them and rubbed the flour out of her hair with his fingers. "You are. I find it endearing."

"I'm sure," Lizzie said, playfully rolling her eyes. "I wonder if you'll still think I'll look this good in the middle of the night when the flour is replaced with spit up or breastmilk and the chocolate with god knows what."

"The joys of parenthood."

Lizzie laughed

"You will always be beautiful to me. I've seen you at your best and your worst," William murmured, catching the sparkle in her eyes. "And you've seen me at mine."

"Sounds like a version of our wedding vows."

"Either way, I'm here for all of it," William told her. He brought his hands up and rested them on the sides of her belly. "And for her. You won't be the only one covered in spit up and other bodily fluids. I will not be one of those fathers who takes a back seat while you do all the work."

"You'd be sleeping on the couch _nightly_ if you did that. Luckily, I've known for a long time that you won't be that kind of dad. I swear you've done more research on breastfeeding and child development than me," Lizzie said, yawning through the last of her words. "Sorry."

"Tired?"

Lizzie nodded. "Pregnancy is strange. I know it's completely irrational to be baking in the middle of the night. I should be sleeping. Instead, she's kicking me and demanding cake."

"She's demanding it, huh?"

"She's got the steering wheel for my hormones and my stomach right now, so yes," Lizzie nodded sluggishly. "She demanded it."

"Just ten more weeks," William murmured. Lizzie hummed rested her head on his shoulder, sliding her arms around his torso and inching in as close as her belly allowed. William bent his head and pressed his lips to the crown of her head as they stood in the kitchen, bathed by the dimmed lights above them. Soft lyrical strings flowed from the speakers of their music player and the tune sounded vaguely familiar. They began to sway together and let the music determine their rhythm. He lived for these moments with Lizzie, the ones that seemed not that important at the time but would become a particularly fond memory. Dancing with his pregnant wife at two in the morning was definitely one of them.

Too soon, the music changed and the spell was broken. William exhaled and Lizzie looked up at him, giving him a little smile. She stood on her toes and kissed him softly on the lips, brushing the tips of her fingers across his prickly jaw.

"You know what I won't miss about being pregnant?"

William raised a curious eyebrow. "What is that?"

"Having to pee all the time," Lizzie answered. He chuckled as she began to back away. She shrugged as if to say there was nothing that could be done. "I'll be back."

William watched her walk away until she disappeared around the corner. He checked the timer and saw that there were still twenty-five minutes left. Why Lizzie chose a recipe that took so long to make was beyond him but the smell of chocolate was beginning to fill up the apartment. One last glance of the kitchen to make sure everything was put away and he went to the living room, taking a seat on the couch. He heard the soft padding of his wife returning a moment later and she joined him on the couch, resting her head on his lap.

"Better?"

"Much," Lizzie murmured. "It's not fun when she's using my bladder as a pillow."

"I imagine it wouldn't be," William said, strumming his fingers through her hair.

"How much time is left?"

William looked over at the kitchen. "Twenty-one minutes."

"Stupid cravings," Lizzie grumbled. "Tell me a story."

"A story, huh? Let's see," William thought about it for a moment. "There once was a boy named Darvid—"

"Will!" Lizzie laughed. "Not that kind of story. Tell me…something from work."

"You should have specified," William teased. "Well, we've had a few new hires that are already developing some apps…"

William passed the time telling Lizzie different stories about work and his new employees, hearing the occasional hum from her. Soon, the hums were replaced with even breaths and he realized she must have fallen asleep.

"Lizzie?" he whispered. "Love?"

She really was asleep. After getting up in the middle of the night just to make a cake and then falling asleep minute before it was ready, it amused William. He sighed and very carefully removed himself from the couch to wait the last minute, stopped the timer just before it went off and took the cake out of the oven to let it cool. Then he returned to Lizzie, picked her up in his arms with ease, and took her to bed.

* * *

When Lizzie woke up in the morning, William was in the shower. She shuffled into the kitchen and found a fully frosted cake sitting on the kitchen counter waiting for her. She found a note next to it written in her husband's neat handwriting.

 _For you, Baby, and those 'stupid cravings' of yours._

 _Love, Will_

* * *

 _Notes:_ _A special thanks to those who contributed ideas for the baby shower. They were all helpful!_

 _There will be extras posted on the official blog from the shower and a little something special too! Stay tuned!_


	16. Stay The Course

_Summary:_ _While Lizzie and William continue to plan for the baby's arrival, unexpected events test their patience._

* * *

 _Saturday, September 15th (32 weeks and 1 day)_

During the first three weekends in September, Lizzie and William attended childbirth preparation classes. The first class was all about breastfeeding and the benefits it would bring to their child. While Lizzie had already decided she would be breastfeeding, she and William thought the instructors put a little too much emphasis on the matter and made them feel like there was no other option. Still, it helped herself make a personal goal to breastfeed for at least six months though she hoped to stick with it for the first year depending on how well her daughter responded to it.

The next two weekends involved some intense childbirth workshops, showing them the basic tools and preparation needed for labor. William was shown support techniques for Lizzie and how to help her through the toughest parts of labor, including relaxation methods and massage points. They were taught infant CPR, how to change diapers, and how to bathe their newborn amongst other things. They were also given an extensive packet on what they had learned and information on postpartum care for Lizzie and the baby.

Lizzie and William had set up a tour of the labor and delivery department following their last class, and she was looking forward to see the place in person. She had already done her research on the department and discovered how luxurious the place was while still putting the needs of the mother and child first above all else.

At their request, Hannah joined them after class and they all met with the representative, who walked them to the department. He told them the basic perks on their way. The center offered valet parking during business hours so they wouldn't have to worry about finding parking during the hectic time. All rooms were private and the center had noise-softening floors and walls to absorb sound so they wouldn't be hearing any of their neighbors. They also wouldn't have to wait to be checked in and would be shown to their room immediately where admissions would come to them.

"I'm already sold," Lizzie murmured, quiet enough for only William to hear. He looked at her and smiled, subtly nodding his head.

"I've helped four couples here since this center opened three years ago," Hannah told them. "It's quite possibly my favorite. You've chosen a wonderful place to have your daughter."

"That's comforting to hear," Lizzie said.

"Would you care to see a room?" the representative asked. "There are only a few occupied ones at the moment."

"We would. Thank you," William replied.

They were shown to an empty room, where they noticed a hand-washing sink as soon as they walked in, so that any visitors could wash their hands immediately. The room was spacious with a large window that gave them a view to the garden. The representative told them that every room had a view of either the garden, the bay, or the city. There were also blackout curtains for when they wanted rest. Besides the hospital bed, there was a dedicated family area with a comfortable sleeper couch, a table, and a plush-looking rocker. There was a birthing ball in the corner of the room, a large flat-screen television faced the hospital bed and each room came with a tablet to keep them stay connected. It had an extensive library of movies and music to play to pass the time, as well as Skype and Domino (the contract had gone through just over a year ago) for video chatting with family members and friends.

"We're definitely using that. We can call my family afterwards!" Lizzie said with delight.

"Once you're up to it," William noted.

The rep spoke up, "You also have a private bathroom."

It wasn't just a bathroom. It had a luxurious laboring tub for those who wanted a water birth. It featured color lighting to help calm the woman in labor and there was a special sitting area for the partner. Hannah mentioned how the tub was built for easy-in and easy-out access so the woman in labor wouldn't have to struggle at any point. There was also a shower head so anybody could take a regular shower during their stay.

"During your stay, you'll also have free access to our laundry facilities, if necessary," the rep continued. "We have sixteen outdoor garden spaces, including some on the rooftop terrace, so you can explore at any time. We have wireless monitors, as well. This way you can walk around as much as you'd like without worrying about having to pull a machine with you."

"I wish I had that when I had my appendix out!" Lizzie said, turning to Hannah. "You said walking was good, right?"

"It will help you progress," Hannah nodded. "I'll be encouraging you to walk as much as you can when we get there."

"We are one of the few hospitals in the country to offer nitrous oxide as a form of pain relief. While our other pain relief options are administered by nurses and doctors, this one is completely in your hands," the rep said to Lizzie. "It's right by your bedside and within reach via a mask for any time you feel you need it."

"Laughing gas?" William said curiously.

"There are many benefits to nitrous oxide besides the mother controlling her dose. It does not affect breastfeeding, the mother has more of an awareness while she's in labor, and it doesn't affect the alertness of the infant that some other pain medications may do."

"That's…something for me to think about," Lizzie said.

The representative went on to tell them that they could order food from the room through the tablet, boasting that their cafeteria was award-winning and focused on sustainably sourced items. There was an on-site photographer on hand if they chose to use them and could even set up a photo session after birth. Lactation consultants were on hand seven days a week, nursing stations were set up in a few different areas of the department for easier access to them, and they had bedside baby care so mother and baby wouldn't have to be separated during any tests.

Lizzie and William had wanted a calming and relaxing environment for her when she'd go into labor and the center was exactly what they were looking for. They left knowing they'd be in good hands. William and Lizzie insisted on treating Hannah to lunch and she agreed. It gave them some time to talk about a things on their mind and she quickly put their concerns to rest. They felt significantly more at ease about everything as they headed home.

* * *

"Lizzie! We're going to be late," William called out, waiting by the door with her coat. They were going to Gigi's for the monthly dinner and they were in charge of the appetizers, which were in danger of becoming a side dish if they left any later.

"Sorry! Sorry!" Lizzie came hurrying down the hall with the food. "Bladder was full. I swear I'm going every half hour now that she's flipped down."

"She's literally using your bladder as a pillow," William teased, helping her with her coat.

"It certainly _feels_ that way," Lizzie shot back.

"If it helps any," William started, holding open the door. "You look fantastic."

"Helps none," Lizzie patted his cheek as she walked past him. "But thank you for the compliment."

William chuckled, locking the door behind him. "Any time."

They made it to Gigi's place in fifteen minutes and were surprisingly one of the first ones there. Brandon was stuck at the store picking up dessert, Sam and Charlotte were on the way, and Lydia was working. Fitz was the one to open the door, explaining that Gigi was busy in the kitchen with getting dinner prepared.

"Lizzie D! You're looking especially radiant this evening," Fitz greeted, giving her a hug. "How's the little one?"

"She's cooking," Lizzie smiled, rubbing her belly. "Only eight weeks to go."

"Only eight weeks?" he asked, his gaze flickering to her belly while taking her coat.

"Yea, I'm actually thankful I'm not bigger. I don't have to rely on William to get my shoes on," Lizzie said.

"At least not yet," William added with a twinkle in his eyes.

"I'm beginning to think you _want_ me to be gigantic," Lizzie nudged him. William looked down at her and one corner of his mouth lifted before bending down and kissing her temple.

"Hey you two!" Gigi called, sticking her head out from the kitchen and waving at them. "Lizzie, you look even better than the last time I saw you!"

"Thank you!"

"Hi, Gigi," William said affectionately. "Where do you want the appetizers?"

"The kitchen. Get in here already!"

* * *

Dinner was a success and they were in the lull that always came between dinner and dessert. Sam and Brandon offered to clear the table while the others continued their conversations.

"So Darce, when is your new car going to be ready?" Fitz asked.

"Monday. I'm picking it up after work."

"Nice. That makes you the designated driver to the airport Thursday morning," Fitz joked. "Interior?"

"I opted for the six-seater instead of the seven and decided to forgo the accessory hitch," William said. "We keep the skis at the cabin anyway."

"Color?"

"Solid black, of course," William replied. "Black leather seats and black interior."

"I was campaigning for the blue," Lizzie said. William glanced to his side and smiled at her, lifting his arm and resting it on the back of her chair. "It's a nice color!"

"What kind of upgrades did you get?" Fitz asked.

"I ordered the Model X P100D," William started and he began to rattle off car specs to Fitz. Brandon and Sam paused in their clean up to listen and Lizzie got up to take Sam's empty seat next to Charlotte, with Gigi on her other side.

"That rare time where your husband turns into a typical guy and starts talking about cars," Lizzie said and Gigi snorted.

"He does that. Did he tell you about the new computers he ordered for the company? I don't even think they're officially out for the public yet," Gigi said.

"I'm not surprised," Charlotte spoke up. "You two have the fanciest tech in your apartment."

"It took me way too long to figure out how the television worked. Too many remotes." Lizzie shook her head. "You should see the baby monitor he bought. It's totally over the top but I kind of love it. It even has an app to download so I can watch on my phone."

"That's pretty cool! Does that mean you'd be able to check in from anywhere?" Charlotte asked.

"Yep! I think it will be a big help when I'm at work," Lizzie said.

"Or a business trip," Gigi added.

"Ugh. Don't remind me. I'm already dreading them," Lizzie groaned. She knew she'd have to fly to New York to meet with Scholastic in the first quarter of the new year, most likely late February. It was in the contract when she signed the papers that they have an annual meeting in person to go over progress of whatever was in development at the time. With the timeline of _The Sullivan Sisters_ web-series, they would be getting right to the climax around then and ready to start outlining the next one.

"Hey, Lizzie!" Fitz called and all three girls looked over in his direction. "Have you two picked a name yet? Your hubs isn't talking."

"Um. We've narrowed it down to five names," Lizzie answered hesitantly. She exchanged a look with William and it was clear he was saying it was up to her.

"And those would be?" Gigi pried.

"Well…" Lizzie hesitated. When they were narrowing down names, they had talked about this exact situation. They were going to keep the middle name to themselves because of the significance it held. They could share their final few names but they wouldn't be choosing a name until she gave birth. "Alright. I don't see why not. We're choosing between Madeline, Eleanor, Grace, Evelyn, and Cora."

"Oh, I like those," Gigi said softly.

"They're all so simple but really pretty," Charlotte agreed.

"That's what we're going for," William said.

"I can get some nice nicknames out of at least three of those. Nice taste, Darcy family," Fitz grinned. William and Lizzie smiled at each other from across the table.

"So, when do we get to know the final choice?" Brandon asked, bringing over cake and cookies. Sam was right behind him with some plates and a knife.

"When you meet her," Lizzie said cheekily.

"Fair enough," Sam said, ending the subject. He offered Lizzie some cake but she declined and took a couple cookies instead. She moved back to her seat next to William and reached over and squeezed her thigh

"So, you two haven't RSVP'd to our annual Halloween party yet," Fitz said once Brandon and Sam rejoined them to enjoy their own dessert.

"I don't know. I'll be thirty-eight weeks pregnant by then. You really want us there?" Lizzie asked. "What could I dress as anyway? I am NOT painting my belly to be a pumpkin. Actually, I'm not painting my belly at all."

William cringed. "I am firmly against this as well."

"I'll have a couple bottles of apple cider there just for you," Fitz said, trying to entice them. " _And_ I'll rope off that cushy chair you love so only you can sit in it."

Lizzie laughed and William shook his head in amusement.

"Alright, Fitz. We'll go. We still need costume ideas though," Lizzie said.

"I got it," Gigi offered, pulling out her phone. Charlotte was already scrolling through hers as well to help them figure out ideas. Gigi mumbled to herself as she looked. "There's a farmer and cow...terrible…"

"You could be totally inappropriate and dress up as a nun and priest." Charlotte held up her phone and showed it to Lizzie. She laughed and shook her head.

"Don't think so."

"So many painted bellies," Sam commented, looking over Charlotte's shoulder. "Basketball, baseball, pumpkin, the earth…What _is_ that? That one's just gross."

"Ooh! I got it. You could be Juno and William could be Bleeker from the movie," Fitz grinned, passing Lizzie his phone. "I mean, look at those shorts!"

"Oh. Oh yea," Lizzie nodded, giving William a mischievous look. "You could seriously rock those."

"What are you doing to me, Fitz?" William sighed, looking at the costume before returning his gaze to his wife. "If you really want me to."

"William could be a milkman and you could be a housewife!" Gigi chimed in.

"That's a pretty cute idea, actually!" Lizzie brightened, nudging him. "See? We've got options now."

"Then it's settled. We'll come to the party, Fitz."

"With the condition that you won't get upset at what time we leave. This little girl doesn't always like me staying up late."

Fitz stuck out his hand and she rolled her eyes at his antics. She reached out and shook it.

"You've got yourself a deal, Mama D."

* * *

 _Monday, September 17th (32 weeks and 3 days)_

William left work a little early to pick up his new car once he got the call to say that it was ready. He had traded in his old one yesterday and arranged for a car to take him to work in the morning and the dealership afterwards. He planned to pick Lizzie up, take her out to dinner, and then go out for a joy-ride afterwards. A fair amount of time was spent at the dealership going over the paperwork, paying for the vehicle in full, and being shown every detail of what he had asked for before a quick test drive around the block. Then he was handed the keys and driving away in his new car.

Lizzie's car was already in her spot when he got home and he wondered how long she had been there. He spent a bit more time than he intended at the dealership. When he walked in the door, there was no sign of her other than the entryway lights being turned on. He called out her name and faintly heard a reply in the direction of the bedroom. She wasn't in the bedroom but there was a soft light coming from the bathroom. He peeked in and he deflated a little at the sight before him.

A few candles were lit and Lizzie was in the tub, surrounded by bubbles. There was a wine glass filled with something on the floor next to her, her hair was up in a messy bun, and she had her head resting against the lip with her eyes closed. The only times they took baths like this was when romance was involved or one of them had a bad day. She would have teased him throughout the day today if she planned this but that wasn't the case. Something had obviously not gone her way.

"Lizzie?" William said gently.

"Hey," Lizzie murmured, opening her eyes. She gave him a look that confirmed his suspicions.

"What happened?"

Lizzie sighed. "Today was just…a lot."

William leaned against the bathroom counter and crossed his arms. "You want to tell me about it?"

"You might think I'm terrible."

William shook his head. "I would never."

"Okay, you know how I hate the idea of strangers touching my belly?"

William nodded and she continued.

"I had _three_ different people decide that my belly was their business. Three client and one potential one. Every time I went to shake a hand, they bypassed it to touch my stomach. They were all so thrilled for me," Lizzie said in a cynical tone. "I felt like I was being ambushed each time. They'd ask what I'm having, when I'm due, and what my labor plan was. Who does that? One even had the audacity to say I must not be eating right because I'm 'too small' for eight months." Lizzie lifted her hands, using air quotes.

"That's highly unprofessional," William frowned.

"You're telling me," Lizzie grumbled. "I was caught off guard every damn time. Every time! There's no guide for pregnant women on how to handle these situations. Other than snapping at them to leave me alone and I couldn't do that because they're clients. Well, the potential one is no more."

"I fail to see where you think you're terrible."

"I just…I needed five minutes where I could feel like I wasn't pregnant," Lizzie told him. "Take a bath, hide under the bubbles, and pretend for even a little bit…"

William approached her and crouched down, giving her a sympathetic smile.

"We all need a bit of time to escape from something once in a while," William offered gently. "That doesn't make you terrible."

"She's certainly making me feel it. She keeps kicking me," Lizzie pouted.

"May I?" William asked.

Lizzie lit up and her eyes watered a bit.

"Silly man, of course you can."

William smiled and dipped his hand in the water, pressing his hand to her belly. Sure enough, he could feel a strong nudge.

"She loves you. Remember she's half me? She's trying to make you feel better," William said, taking his hand out of the water.

"Then tell her to get her foot out of my ribs."

"I'll be sure to do so when I talk to her tonight," William promised, standing back up. "I'll give you some time alone–"

Lizzie reached out and grabbed his hand. "Stay. Join me."

"You sure?"

"Very much so."

William started to get undressed, subtly smirking at his wife while she watched him. As he toed off his shoes and unbuckled his belt, his eye caught the glass on the floor again.

"I have to ask. What's in the wine glass?"

Lizzie smiled sheepishly. "Apple juice."

"To keep up the ruse?"

"Mmmhmm," Lizzie hummed. He shed the last of his clothes and she scooted forward to make room for him. He got comfortable and pulled her back to him, resting his arms on the edge of the tub. She pressed her back to him and let out a little sigh of relief. "You're much more comfortable to lean on than the tub."

"I'm beginning to see why you wanted me in here."

"One of the many reasons," Lizzie admitted, resting her head on his shoulder. He leaned forward a little and kissed her temple. "There's one more thing."

"To make your day a bad one?"

"Dr. Gates has a family emergency and won't be in the office this week. All the appointments had to be rescheduled with other doctors from the department. Now I'm seeing Dr. Lamar on Friday."

"Friday?" William repeated. "As in the when I'm going to be L.A.? The one business trip I couldn't get out of? That Friday?"

"That's the one," Lizzie confirmed unenthusiastically.

"There wasn't anything else?"

"Believe me when I say I tried. Friday was all that worked."

William groaned and let his head drop on the lip. "I said I would be there for all your appointments. I haven't missed one yet."

"I know. I wasn't too thrilled about the change," Lizzie said, turning her head to look at him. "I appreciate the effort you've gone through to make every appointment though. There was bound to be a time that didn't work out."

"Except there wouldn't have been without this rescheduling," William pointed out.

"I'll get Lydia to come with me. It's going to be okay. It's just a normal check-up. You know how it is," Lizzie assured. "They'll weigh me, take my vitals, measure my belly, go over the blood test results, and send me on my way."

"I know…"

"I'll call you right after. If you don't answer, I'll leave a very detailed message."

"Thank you. What time is it at?"

"Three thirty."

"I won't be home until eight probably."

"Like I said, I can ask Lydia. She's offered to help out whenever I need her. There's also Hannah," Lizzie said, settling back against him. "It's going to be fine."

William sighed. "I can still be frustrated by it."

"We can both be frustrated about it," Lizzie concluded.

William sighed and bent his head, pressing his lips to her shoulder. "I like being there for both of you."

"I know. We appreciate it," Lizzie murmured. He dropped his arms into the water and slid his hands to her belly, spreading his fingers across her. The baby was still moving and felt like she was stretching for more room. He cherished each and every time he had felt their daughter move. It was a truly unique experience and he couldn't categorize it with any other emotion. The thought that he only had eight more weeks until he would finally hold his little girl was mind-boggling and exhilarating.

"She is really going for it," William said softly after a few minutes.

"Seriously. Maybe she's hungry," Lizzie commented. She suddenly stiffened against him and sat up a little, glancing back at him. "Will! Your plans! Did I ruin everything?"

"What? No, you didn't. It's not like we're planning to spend the rest of the night in this tub, right?"

Lizzie shook her head.

"When you're ready, I'll take you out to eat and we can go for a little joy-ride afterwards," William assured.

"A joy-ride sounds naughty. Maybe if I wasn't eight months pregnant, we could properly christen your new car."

"I don't know. I'm sure we could figure it out," William joked.

Lizzie laughed lowly. "How did I snag a husband who still wants me even when I'm sixteen pounds heavier and look like I've swallowed a basketball?"

William leaned in and nibbled on her earlobe. "Because you're sexy in every shape and size."

"Thank you," Lizzie said. "When you say it, I believe it."

"It's true."

"I love how you make me feel better with only a few words."

"You'd do the same for me."

"I would." She took his hand and kissed his palm before taking his arms and pulling them around her. "And there's no place I would rather be than right here with you."

"Me neither."

* * *

 _Thursday, September 20th (32 weeks and 6 days)_

As soon as William found out Lizzie was pregnant, he tried his best to avoid business trips that required him to stay overnight. He had been successful until now. He and Fitz needed to fly to L.A. for two days of meetings with Pemberley Digital's long-term investors. The trip was a month earlier than usual because he refused to leave Lizzie alone when she was nine months pregnant. This was the compromise.

William was restless and wide awake. He couldn't get his mind to relax and it took him quite some time to fall asleep. The trip wasn't even long but he didn't like that he was leaving Lizzie and missing an appointment.

He rubbed a hand down his face, making sure not to wake Lizzie. She had made herself comfortable, with one leg resting on top of his, her head on his shoulder, and her stomach pressed against his side. She used him more than the body pillow but he didn't mind at all. With her stomach growing, he would feel a kick from the baby on occasion and it would rouse him. Lizzie would make a low noise in her throat, shift a bit, and settle down again. He glanced at the clock on the bedside table and saw that he had fifteen minutes before the alarm went off. He sighed and unconsciously began to brush his fingertips along her upper arm.

"That tickles."

Lizzie's voice pulled him out of his daze and he looked at her with a sheepish smile, stopping his hand movements.

"I'm sorry," William apologized, his voice soft. "Did I wake you?"

Lizzie shook her head and untangled herself from him, inching towards the edge of the bed. "Nope. Baby did. Bladder is full."

William chuckled and watched her scurry to the bathroom, pulling down the hem of her oversized shirt. He laid there for a moment more before reaching out to turn the alarm off. There was no point to it since he was already awake. He stretched his arms out and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, waiting for Lizzie to return. After hearing a flush and the water turning on, she came back out, her hands still gripping the bottom hem of her shirt.

"If you're cold, you should wear pajama bottoms," William said with a hint of a smile.

"Why bother when I have you to keep me warm?" She climbed back into bed. He turned to his side as she scooted in as close as she could. He smiled and kissing her forehead. "Why are _you_ awake?"

"Couldn't sleep," William replied.

"It's only one night," Lizzie said softly, bringing her hand up and caressing his cheek. "I'll be okay."

"I know, but I can't help it."

"You know what you need?"

"What's that?"

Lizzie gave him a mischievous smile and pushed him down on the mattress. Then she sat up and maneuvered herself to straddle him. "A distraction."

William quirked an eyebrow. "A distraction, huh?"

"Mmhmm. Something to take your mind off your worries," Lizzie explained, taking his hands and placing them on her upper thighs. He took over and caressed her soft skin with his thumbs. "And a good memory to tide you over until you come back tomorrow."

"I like the sound of this," William said lowly, slowly pushing her shirt up her thighs. "I think I need you to elaborate further."

Lizzie toyed with her bottom lip and wiggled her hips a little, making William groan. She grabbed the bottom of her shirt, lifted it up, and tossed it over her head. All she had left on was a pair of pale blue cotton panties.

"So beautiful," William breathed, drinking in the sight of her above him.

"Belly and all?" Lizzie asked softly.

" _Especially_ belly," William emphasized. He watched as Lizzie's face brightened and it felt like his heart skipped a beat from his own happiness. She sat up on her knees and bent down, putting her hands on either side of his head and stopping an inch from his lips.

"And that right there is why you're about to get lucky," Lizzie whispered, closing the gap between them and kissing him full on the lips. He groaned and brought his hands up, sliding his fingers through her hair. He held her tight as his tongue glided along hers, deepening their kiss. Leaving her for even forty-eight hours was making him feel needy. He wanted more of her soft lips on his and the taste of her and the soft, sweet moans escaping her throat.

Their kisses became hungrier and William untangled his fingers, sliding his hands down and cupping her breasts. She whimpered into his mouth as he rubbed his thumbs across her nipples. Her hyper-sensitivity throughout the pregnancy turned him on in ways he never expected. It stirred something within him and he ached to bring her to new heights of pleasure.

He broke off the kiss with a gasp of air and her name. Then he brought his hands to her hips and carefully turned them over so he was above her. Her eyes were slightly glazed over from the enjoyment his wandering hands were giving her. She looked up at him with curiosity. He knew this position didn't work for them right now. With her growing belly, they experimented new and old ones to find what worked best for both of them. It didn't deter him from foreplay though.

William bent down and slowly dragged his tongue across her nipple, making her gasp and jerk her hips. She grabbed his biceps and her eyes fluttered shut as slid his hand to her other breast and caressed her. Her soft whimpers were sending all the blood to his groin, making his erection strain against his boxer-briefs. He left a trail of kisses down her breast and up her other and gently bit her nipple.

"Will…" Lizzie exhaled.

He looked up at her with hooded eyes and a lazy smile, catching the desire in her eyes. It encouraged him to keep teasing her, his teeth grazing and eliciting another moan. He took his time kissing every inch of her that he could while Lizzie's hands slowly slid down his torso. She dipped them into his boxer-briefs and gave his butt a squeeze. He paused in his movement and glanced up to see that wicked little smirk of hers. She was antsy and wanted more. He worked his way down, leaving a trail of kisses on her warm, soft skin. Lizzie raked her fingers through his hair as he left a few lingering kisses on her belly and he heard a happy little hum from her. He continued on and kissed her over her panties. After a few more moments, she began to squirm beneath him.

"Don't tease your pregnant and horny wife," Lizzie warned. William growled and hardened a little further at her words.

"I would never." He hooked his fingers into the band of her panties, pulling them off and leaving her naked before him. She spread her legs wider for him and he shot her a heated look. He definitely had no patience for teasing.

Scooting down the bed a bit, he moved to make himself comfortable between her legs. He placed a small kiss on the inside of each thigh and then went straight for her center. Lizzie immediately sighed from his touch. He lifted her legs and rested them on his shoulders while he traced her sex with the tip of his tongue. He could revel in the taste of her and the sound of her pants and moans for hours, if she would let him. When she slid her fingers through his hair and grabbed on to pull him in even closer, he held nothing back. He was almost uncomfortably hard, especially confined, and he blindly reached down to free himself without breaking connection. His groan of relief sent vibrations through her and her hips bucked against him. As his teeth grazed against her clit, her hands tightened around his hair and moaned deeply. She began to rock against his mouth and his tongue, aching for release. He focused his attention on her clit, circling his tongue and using just the right amount of pressure. It finally brought her over the edge and she cried out in ecstasy as her orgasm spread through her body.

William moved away and pushed his boxer-briefs off the rest of the way, tossing them aside and pulled himself up next to her. He watched her as she gradually came down from her high. She finally opened her eyes and turned her head to him, while a smile spread across her lips.

"You, sir, are my favorite," Lizzie hummed.

"And I plan to keep it that way," William murmured lowly. She chuckled and nudged him onto his back. Then she tossed the twisted sheets out of her way and straddled him.

"You are doing a superb job of it." Lizzie moved forward on his thighs until he was practically nestled against her. She gave him an impish smirk and wrapped her fingers around his erection. His eyes fluttered and exhaled shakily as she began to move her hand up and down his length, occasionally twisting. All he craved was to be inside her. He could see in her eyes that she was going to toy with him a little. He was willing to plead, if that's what she really wanted. She gave him a gentle squeeze while licking her thoroughly-kissed lips with that talented tongue of hers. He grunted. He'd never last if she got those lips on him. His patience flew out the window.

"Lizzie, please," William rumbled, grabbing her thighs and pulling her forward a little. The look on her face was smug and far too sexy for her own good. She sat up on her knees and positioned herself above him, biding her time. She was just barely pressed against him and he could feet her heat emanating from her.

"All you had to do was ask," Lizzie said sensually. Before he could say another word, she leisurely slid down his length and he closed his eyes momentarily, savoring the moment. He sighed and opened them, focusing his gaze on hers and seeing her own dark with desire. There was also a look that told him she was completely in charge right now. She pressed her hands on his chest and rolled her hips once. He flexed beneath her palms as she did it again, slowly creating a rhythm between them. As she sped her pace up, he held her by her thighs and began to thrust inside her. The little gasp that caught in her throat merely fueled him on, making him want more.

His hands roamed all over her body and she leaned in a little when he cupped her breasts. She covered his hands with hers, entwining their fingers as they caressed her together. She let out a shaky breath as he they brushed across her nipples and she clenched around him, throwing him off guard. With every thrust of his, she would clench around him, bringing both of them closer to climax. It never ceased to amaze him how uninhibited she was in the throes of passion and how much he ached for her. She untangled her fingers from his and ran them through her hair, letting her head fall back and exposing that alabaster neck of hers. He longed to trace the length of it with his tongue and kiss her with everything he could muster but he was limited with her belly. Instead, he brought one hand down between them and began to gently caress her clit, wanting to help her along. He wasn't going to last much longer, especially with the noises she was making and the way she was moving her hips. She dropped her hands to his chest and dug her nails into his skin as they lost all sense of rhythm, both too close to care. With a quick thrust of his hips and the caress of his thumb, she slammed her eyes shut and cried out his name. He felt her pulsing around him and he came right after her, groaning in satisfaction.

Lizzie exhaled deeply and opened her eyes, brushing her hands down his chest. They smiled at each other and she took another moment before she slowly moved off him, lying down next to him.

"I'd say that's a good memory to bring with me," William spoke up after a few moments. Lizzie laughed and her whole body shook before she turned on her side to face him.

"You know you can call me," Lizzie said softly. "Or text me whenever you feel like it. It's only one night. But I'll miss you too."

"I will," William murmured, brushing a few strands of hair from her face. "And I want to hear from you right after you're done with your appointment."

"You'll get a thorough report."

"Good." William smiled affectionately and leaned forward, kissing her forehead. Lizzie watched him for a minute before she took a deep breath and sat up.

"Okay. I am in dire need of a shower and I'm sure you need to get up and get ready to go."

William checked the clock on the bedside table. He should have been up and ready fifteen minutes ago. They had definitely lost track of time. He hurried out of bed and followed Lizzie into the bathroom, determined to get ready as quickly as he could.

"Fitz is going to have a field day with this one."

"Ignore him."

"You know that doesn't work."

"Then blame me," Lizzie grinned, holding the shower door open so he could join her. She turned on the water and waited for it to get warm. "Tell him how high-maintenance your pregnant wife has become and you had to tend to my _needs_."

"Oh, he's going to love that answer."

Lizzie snickered as she stepped under the water, beckoning him over.

"I'm counting on it."

* * *

William left to pick up Fitz with only a couple minutes to spare, despite their flirtatious behavior in the shower. It was difficult to leave her after such a good morning but she gave him a passionate goodbye kiss and sent him on his way. The flight to L.A. was uneventful as was most of the rest of the day. He called her at lunch and text her when he had some free time. Fitz didn't even take the opportunity to tease him about being glued to his phone.

Once their meetings were finished for the day, they grabbed dinner at the hotel. Fitz must have picked up on his anxiety about not being with Lizzie and they had a very sincere talk, reminding him why Fitz was one of his best friends. When they called it a night, they went to their separate rooms with plans to meet downstairs for breakfast.

William got ready for bed, taking a quick shower and getting comfortable before calling Lizzie. She happily obliged him when he asked if he could have some belly time with his daughter by putting her phone on speaker and lying it on her stomach. He'd hear the echo of her voice when she told him that the baby was responding and giving her little kicks. It gave him a sense of happiness to think that his daughter was missing him, even if he knew the kicks were simply well-timed.

He spoke with Lizzie for a little while long before letting her go so she could get some rest. He turned on the television and flipped through a number of channels before settling on a documentary about space travel narrated by Neil Degrasse Tyson. He was interested but it wasn't long before the man's deep voice lulled him to sleep.

* * *

 _Friday, September 21st (33 weeks)_

Lizzie's day was not going as she hoped. She was starting it with a long night of tossing and turning. She had trouble sleeping last night, despite her long phone call with William. She tried using her body pillow as a substitute to her husband's body but it paled in comparison. She had only used it a handful of times while lying on the couch but always felt awkward.

She had a long meeting in the morning in which the potential client was demanding and short-tempered, putting her in a bad mood. She and Andrea both agreed they wouldn't be taking the person on. Then just before lunch, one of their servers went down and she was inundated with phone calls from panicked employees about not being able to access files to various projects. She spent the rest of her shortened day putting out fires and working with the IT department to get the server back up and running. They were successful just before she left but some files were seemingly missing and it would take IT a couple hours to retrieve them. When Lydia showed up for her doctor appointment, Lizzie was more stressed out than she had been in ages. With a promise from IT that they would send her updates, the sisters left.

"Ugh!" Lizzie groaned after they checked in. IT had sent an email informing her that it was going to likely take the rest of the day to find the missing files. "This day is terrible!"

"I'm sorry, sis. You're probably wishing William was here instead of me."

Lizzie sighed. "No. I'm happy you're here. I'm more annoyed that my appointment was moved to today in the first place. Leaving work in the middle of this makes me feel worse. How did so many files go missing? I already had to deal with a terrible client this morning. This day is not going well."

"Elizabeth Darcy?" a nurse called. She beckoned for both of them to come in.

Lizzie gathered her things and Lydia was right behind her. She was weighed and then the nurse took her blood pressure.

"Oh. That's high," the nurse murmured.

Lizzie looked at the number and winced.

"We'll see what the doctor says," The nurse told her. She took Lizzie and Lydia to a room and they waited for the doctor to arrive. Lizzie tried not to focus on the numbers of her blood pressure and tried to calm herself down. It only seemed to put her on edge more. Dr. Lamar knocked on their door and peered in before coming inside. She was a robust lady with curly blonde hair and a firm handshake.

"Mrs. Darcy, it's nice to meet you," she said before shaking Lydia's hand. "And this must be your sister?"

"Lydia," she nodded.

"My husband is in L.A. on a business trip," Lizzie added as the doctor took a seat at the computer. "And we usually see Dr. Gates…"

"Yes, yes," Dr. Lamar said absently, reading her chart on the screen. "She had to deal with a personal matter. She should be back next week. So, you're thirty-three weeks, Mrs. Darcy?"

"You can call me Lizzie," she said with a smile. "And yes. Just today."

"Lizzie," Dr. Lamar echoed. "You're getting close to your due date. Only seven weeks to go. Now, I see that your blood pressure is high and I really don't like the look of it."

"Well," Lizzie wrung her hands. "It's been a stressful day. It's not normally that high."

"Understandable, but it is cause for concern. We don't want that stress on the baby," Dr. Lamar continued. "What we'll do is have the nurse take it again at the end and if it's still high, I'm going to send you to labor and delivery."

Lizzie's heart slammed in her chest and she looked to Lydia in a panic. "What?"

"I would do it with any patient in their third trimester. We're covering our bases," Dr. Lamar assured. "So, just relax. We may be able to avoid it."

"Okay…" Lizzie said apprehensively. Don't be stressed out? That was like telling her not to look at the elephant in the room. She shook her head and took a deep breath.

"Alright, lie back and we'll see how baby is doing."

Lizzie did as she was told and Dr. Lamar examined her belly, taking measurements and making a note of it. Then she took out the portable ultrasound and listened for the heartbeat of the baby. When the doctor found it, the quick rhythm filled the room. Lydia let out a gasp and Lizzie smiled at her sister. It was a joy to hear the heartbeat and besides the recorded one they shared a few months ago, this was Lydia's first time.

"Good. That's good," Dr. Lamar said, having Lizzie sit back up. She checked Lizzie's ankles, which were thankfully not yet swollen. It helped that William gave her foot massages almost nightly. She asked about Lizzie's daily regimen, if she had any concerns, and answered Lizzie's questions. She wasn't quite as comforting as Dr. Gates, which told Lizzie that she and William made the right choice in doctors, but she still seemed efficient though. The blood pressure issue was still on her mind and she knew thinking about it was probably making matters worse.

"Okay, Lizzie. I'm going to have you check out with the nurse and she'll take your blood pressure again," Dr. Lamar finished up. She told her a few more things and then pointed her and Lydia back to the nurse's station. The nurse told Lizzie to have a seat and she wrapped the blood pressure cuff around her arm, having her rest it on the desk and making sure her feet were flat on the ground. Lydia leaned against the wall, watching Lizzie as her blood pressure was taken.

"140 over 95," the nurse read, shaking her head as she took the cuff off. "That's still too high. If you'll excuse me."

Lydia waited until the nurse walked into the doctor's office.

"How do they expect you to relax and get a proper reading when they're basically telling you that if it's too high, you're going to labor and delivery?" Lydia scoffed. "It's totes backwards thinking."

"It's literally because of stress," Lizzie groaned, resting her head on the wall behind her. "This day is getting worse and worse."

"At least you have awesome company!" Lydia offered. Lizzie snorted and smiled at her.

The nurse appeared a minute later with some paperwork in her hands.

"The doctor wants you to go to labor and delivery for observation."

"Right now?"

"Right now. I'm going to call ahead and let them know you're on your way."

The nurse handed her the after-visit summary and some other paperwork, telling her what she needed to know. Then Lizzie and Lydia headed to the elevators while Lydia rubbed Lizzie's back in comfort. They made it to the department a few minutes later and found the main nurse's station.

"Hi. My doctor sent me down here because of my blood pressure. I'm Elizabeth Darcy," Lizzie said to the nurse sitting at the computer.

"Dr. Lamar?" she asked.

"Yea," Lizzie nodded.

"The office just called. You're thirty-three weeks, correct?"

"I am," Lizzie said. The nurse called another one over to the desk. "And I have no intention of having her today. She has to stay for seven more weeks."

The second nurse chuckled. "That's the spirit. Dr. Lamar has sent two other patients to us today. She's very cautious. Give us just a minute."

While the nurses figured things out, Lizzie pulled out her phone and turned to Lydia.

"I bet William is going to love this news," Lizzie said flatly, writing out the text.

"What are you going to say? The doctor is mean and now I'm stuck in L&D with my super cool sister?" Lydia offered, grinning a little.

"Very funny," Lizzie rolled her eyes. "I also have to let Andrea know I probably won't be back to work either."

* * *

 _Lizzie 3:42 pm_

Andrea, the doc is keeping me for observation because of blood pressure.

I won't be back to work today.

I'll fill you in on Monday

* * *

 _Andrea 3:42 pm_

Oh no! Hope it's nothing serious.

We have it handled here.

IT has retrieved 80% of the files already!

* * *

 _Lizzie 3:42 pm_

I'm sure it's nothing.

BP is totally high because of work.

Relieved to hear IT is working quickly!

Talk to you later!

* * *

 _Lizzie 3:43 pm_

Hey Will. I'm in labor and delivery.

Don't worry. Lydia is with me.

The doc didn't like the look of my blood pressure so I'm here for observation.

I'll tell you all about it when you get home.

The first nurse stood up and asked Lizzie to hold out her wrist. She snapped a medical bracelet on her wrist and then asked them to follow her. She led them to a room in the corner and held the door open. There was a hospital bed near the wall with all the necessary equipment next to it. A sink was across from the bed and a television was above it. Two chairs were tucked against the wall between the sink and the bed. In the opposite corner was a small closet and another door that led to a bathroom, complete with a shower.

"So, this is one of our observation maternity rooms. I'm going to have you change and then we'll get you set up," the nurse told Lizzie, handing her a hospital gown. "I'll be back in a few minutes when you're ready."

"Thank you," Lizzie said, taking the gown. She put her stuff down on the chair next to Lydia before handing over her phone. "Just in case William texts back. Let him know things are okay. I'm going to change."

"Will do!" Lydia chirped.

* * *

William was sitting in a tedious meeting, trying to convey interest in the current speaker. He had been rattling on for over an hour now and all William could think was that he was not the right person to be at the head of the conference table. Fitz was sitting next to him and writing notes. He couldn't help but notice that in the last five minutes, his notes turned into a shopping list. William nudged him and raised an eyebrow while Fitz merely shrugged. He felt a buzz in his pocket and he glanced up at the clock, noting that it was probably Lizzie. He pulled his phone out and discreetly checked the message.

He sat up straighter and his brain didn't seem to process most of the message. All he could understand was:

 _Hey Will. I'm in labor._

Fitz noticed his reaction and frowned, mouthing 'Are you okay?' He shook his head quickly and tried to figure out the quickest escape. Before he could make excuses, he was already out of his chair and heading to the door.

"I think we could use a short break," Fitz said, cutting off the speaker. "How about we meet back here in ten minutes?"

William hurried out the door and made a beeline for the elevators down the hall. Fitz called out his name and caught up to him within moments.

"Darce! What's going on?" Fitz asked.

"It's Lizzie," William said. "She's in labor! She's only thirty-three weeks! I need to be there."

"Whoa Whoa Whoa! Are you sure?" Fitz looked surprised.

"That's what the message said!" William exclaimed.

He jammed his thumb against the elevator call button and the elevator doors slid open. Fitz jumped in with him and William paced back and forth, watching the numbers dwindle down too slowly. When they made it to the ground floor, he immediately hit Lizzie's number while he hurried through the lobby, Fitz managed to stop him.

"Slow down, Darcy. Wait to hear from Lizzie," Fitz said, trying to calm him down.

One ring turned into two and then he heard her voice.

"Hello?"

"Lizzie! You're in labor?" William asked, panic obvious in his voice.

"William," Lizzie said and he heard the sound of her soft laughter. "I'm in the labor and delivery _department_. Dr. Lamar was being overly cautious and made me check in because my blood pressure was high. It's totally because of stress. My last reading here was normal."

"So…you're not…having the baby…" His legs felt like jelly and he stumbled back until his legs hit a bench, taking a seat. Fitz followed and sat next to him, looking concerned and curious at the same time.

"No, I'm not," Lizzie replied softly. "I'm just being monitored at the moment. Lydia's with me and keeping me company. I've got a belt around my belly that's reading Baby's heart rate and everything. I'll be okay. It's kind of stupid, really."

"I ran out of the meeting," William mumbled.

"You did? Well, you'll be home sooner than later. Really, don't worry. I'll be fine," Lizzie assured. "The nurse is giving me a look so I have to go. I'll text you. Love you!"

"Love you too," William said to a dead line. He stared at the phone and then double-checked the message, reading the entire thing. It said exactly what she told him over the phone. She was in the department and his brain read it completely wrong.

"What's happening, Darcy?" Fitz asked.

"I am an idiot," William grumbled, handing him the phone and standing up. He ran his hands through his hair and tried to shake off the excess adrenaline coursing through his body as he explained to Fitz what happened.

"I would have had the same reaction as you, man. Let's be glad you were wrong."

"I suppose. I mean, the _one_ appointment I had to miss and this happens," William frowned.

"You can't be there for everything. You're doing a damn good job of trying," Fitz assured, handing him back his phone and patting him on the back. "It's going to be okay and we already know she's in good hands. The doc is just being thorough."

"I can't believe I basically ran out of that meeting. They're probably thinking how unprofessional it was."

"It's fine, they'll understand," Fitz said, leading them back to the elevator. "Come on. Let's get back."

"Promise me you won't tell Gigi about any of this."

Fitz barely held back a smile. "Your secret's safe with me."

* * *

"What happened with William?" Lydia asked as Lizzie handed the phone to her.

"I think he misread the text," Lizzie shook her head in amusement. "He said he bolted from the meeting he was in."

"I bet that was a sight to see," Lydia snorted.

"Yea. How about you take a little video of the baby monitor so he can see that the baby is strong? And that I'm not having any contractions."

"It's kind of cool to see this stuff in action," Lydia noted, walking over to the equipment. She took a short video showing the readings of the fetal heartbeat and the steady line of no contractions. She even got the latest reading of Lizzie's blood pressure on the video. When she was done, she gave the phone to Lizzie and sat back down. The nurse came in a few minutes later.

"Do you want anything? We've got ice water and ice chips."

"Either sounds good," Lizzie said. "Do you know how much longer we're going to be here for?"

"Well," the nurse came over, examining the latest readings. "Probably another hour or so. I'm seeing nothing but the occasional small contraction and the baby's heart rate is excellent. The last two readings for your blood pressure are much better so we'll only monitor you for a little longer. Better to be safe than sorry."

"Small contractions? I'm feeling nothing."

"It's normal for this stage of the pregnancy. You wouldn't feel them yet. They're here and here," the nurse pointed out on the readout.

"Can we take that when we go?" Lydia piped up and Lizzie pressed her lips together to keep from laughing.

"No," the nurse said with a gentle smile. "We need it for records."

Lydia shrugged and looked at Lizzie. "Thought I'd try. It would be a cool souvenir."

"I've got a souvenir," Lizzie said, holding up her arm with the medical bracelet around her wrist.

"Perfect for the scrap-book!" Lydia joked.

"Oh, lucky me!" Lizzie said sardonically. The nurse chuckled and left them alone in the room.

"At least this gives you a practice run of sorts," Lydia told her.

"True. This room is half the size of the one we'll be in though," Lizzie said, looking around. "She did say it's mostly used for monitoring."

"You still got the hookup with your own shower and everything so that's cool," Lydia said and Lizzie nodded.

"I'm sorry you have to spend so much time here. I'm not going to make you late for work or anything, am I?" Lizzie asked.

"Nope. I switched shifts so I work all day tomorrow and Sunday instead. You got me for as long as you need me, sis," Lydia smiled. The nurse returned with a container of ice water and two cups, handing them to Lydia. "Thank you!"

They spent the next hour or so watching reruns of _Bewitched_ , while the machines beeped on and took more readings of the baby and Lizzie. Finally, after her blood pressure was taken for the fifth time and declared normal, the nurse told them that they would be able to go home soon. She was in the process of getting the discharge papers all set for her. She removed the belt from around Lizzie's stomach and unhooked her from the rest of the machines, telling her she could change back into her own clothes before leaving the room.

"I don't know. Don't I make this gown look good?" Lizzie teased, posing for her sister in the door frame of the bathroom.

"Positively radiant!" Lydia played along, snapping a quick picture on her phone for evidence. Lizzie stuck her tongue out at her sister and closed the door to change.

Lizzie was ready to go and sitting on the edge of the bed when the nurse returned for a final time. She gave her discharge papers and some instructions, told her to take her blood pressure at home, and to come in if it was abnormally high again. Then they gathered their things and waved goodbye to the other nurse at the desk. It was nearly six pm by the time they finally left the hospital.

* * *

Lydia took Lizzie back to her car at work, where there were no other cars left. She got the good news halfway through waiting in the room that IT had been successful with the rest of the files and everything was back to normal. After the long day she had, it was nice to hear something good. She picked up dinner on the way home and took the relaxation orders from the nurse to heart. After eating and taking a shower, she planted herself on the couch, making herself comfortable by lying down, and watched some television. That was where William found her when he returned home.

"Hey, love," William said gently, putting his suitcase aside as he came in.

"Hi, handsome," she returned. He toed off his shoes and pulled off his tie before walking over to join her on the couch, taking up his spot behind her and hugging her close.

"You scared me today."

"I'm sorry." Lizzie's voice was full of sympathy. "If it makes you feel any better, it was pretty boring. I was strapped to machines and laid around for nearly two hours while my blood pressure kept reading back normal."

"I hated not being there," William murmured, pressing a kiss into the crook of her neck. "I can't believe I misread your text so completely. I left that meeting so fast. I made it all the way down the lobby and was seconds from going straight to the airport before I realized my error."

"Oh, Will!" Lizzie turned onto her back, bringing a hand up to his cheek. "You didn't!"

"I did. I would have kept going if it weren't for Fitz," William sighed. "I'm supposed to be the calm one."

"So, this is your practice run," Lizzie told him as he put his hand on her belly. "Next time, you'll know and won't be so freaked out."

"I promise," William nodded. "Thank you for your video, by the way."

"You're welcome. Lydia did it for me," Lizzie smiled at him, pulling him down for a small kiss.

"I feel like I should send her something for all her time today."

"She didn't mind," Lizzie said. "But you know she'll gladly take whatever you offer."

William exhaled as he felt the baby move. "I missed this last night."

"We missed it too."

"What was she thinking? It's far too early to make her debut."

"I did talk to her earlier but she loves hearing from her daddy," Lizzie murmured and William lit up from her words. She told him a couple weeks ago that she noticed a pattern where the baby moved the most when he talked to her. It only encouraged him to talk to her stomach even more.

"Then I think I need to have a talk with her about timing."

"Sure. Because _you're_ the expert on timing," Lizzie teased. "I seem to remember when that wasn't one of your strong suits."

William narrowed his eyes at her.

"Maybe not in the beginning but I was there at the right time in the end and that's what matters the most."

"Showed up on my doorstep and all." Lizzie pulled him down for another kiss. "And I'm forever happy about it."

* * *

 _Notes: We've got names! Which one is your favorite?_

 _Lizzie's blood pressure issue and subsequent hospital visit is inspired by the exact same thing that happened to my best friend. I couldn't help but include a little action in there. HER husband made it clear across his work campus and he was about to get into his car when he discovered he didn't read his messages correctly. It was the most amusing part of a long and tedious afternoon._

 _Eternal thanks to Sarah, as always._


	17. Nesting

_Summary: Lizzie starts her maternity leave and learns the value of free time._

* * *

 _Notes: This last month has given me some extreme writer's block. It's merely defrosting but hasn't come back in full force. I refuse to let it get to me. I apologize for the delays and I thank you for your continued patience._

* * *

 _Saturday, September 28th (34 weeks and 1 day)_

Lizzie came home from a prenatal massage, feeling exceptionally relaxed. She had quickly made friends with the ladies at the spa and looked forward to chatting with them at her bi-monthly Saturday morning massages. She'd definitely miss the pampering and made a mental note to treat herself every few months after the baby was born. She really loved how much William was helping her and making her feel comfortable throughout her pregnancy. It surprised her that she could admit she actually loved being pregnant, with the exception of a handful of less than stellar days here and there.

She put her keys and purse down and toed off her shoes, holding onto the counter to steady herself. Then she went to go look for William but had no luck in finding him in his office or the bedroom. When she returned to the kitchen, she noticed the board on the fridge had a hastily drawn arrow pointing down. When she made her way downstairs, she found him with his back to the door of the exercise room, facing the open doors of the balcony, doing a tricky yoga pose. He was resting on his forearms with his legs straight up in the air. His legs were still wobbling but he was visibly improving. It was merely a perk for her that he was doing the pose shirtless so he could see those back muscles in use.

"Should I be jealous you're picking up advanced poses so quickly?" Lizzie asked, walking into the room. Startling at her voice, William lost his balance, Lizzie sucked the air through her teeth when his back hit the floor. "I'm sorry."

"It's fine. I already fell twice before you got here," William chuckled, sitting up to get into a less complicated pose. "It's a work in progress. I'll get it eventually. How was your massage?"

She grabbed the exercise ball in the corner and rolled it over near him, making herself comfortable and starting to bounce on it as she watched him work on his poses.

"Fantastic, as usual," Lizzie replied. "My back and hips thank you for your thoughtfulness."

"I'm glad you're enjoying it."

"What did you do while I was gone?"

"Did a couple miles on the bike." William said. "Then I switched to yoga. I finally got the peacock pose down but as you can see I'm still struggling on the feathered peacock pose."

"Wait…what's the difference?" Lizzie quirked her head. They had been attending the prenatal yoga classes every week and the instructor said they were some of her best students. They picked up poses easily and enjoyed each class, agreeing how calming it was. William was the one who decided to take it a little further and learn more on his own. Bing sent him some videos and links to help him out and it took off from there.

"Feathered peacock is what I was working on when you walked in and the original peacock pose is this," William said before demonstrating it for her. He flattened his hands and balanced his torso on his elbows, holding his legs out straight. It was impressive to say the least and he held it for almost a minute. She saw just how core intensive it was when he got out of the pose and noticed his ab muscles were more defined than ever. She unconsciously licked her lips and he smirked.

"Good job," Lizzie said breathily. William stood up and grabbed a towel, draping it over his shoulders. He walked over to Lizzie and bent down to give her a quick kiss.

"Yoga is intended to relax you, not excite you," William teased. Lizzie scoffed and smacked his arm.

"Don't toy with me," Lizzie huffed, holding out her hand. He helped her off the exercise ball before putting it away. "So, you all done for the day?"

"I am. Did you have something in mind?"

"First, you shower."

"Naturally."

"And then I thought we could pack our hospital bags? I thought after everything that happened last week, we should really be prepared," Lizzie said. "The weeks until my due date are quickly dwindling."

"Good idea," William agreed as they made their way upstairs. "I'd hate for you to be packing while your water is breaking."

Lizzie snickered. "That would be terrible."

"I don't know if I've told you but Gigi and I made plans to have dinner on Monday night before she leaves for London again. Just the two of us. I hope you don't mind."

"Not at all. When does she leave again? The end of the week?"

"Tuesday, actually," William answered. "She'll return on the twenty-second."

"She'll miss our last big dinner before the baby comes."

"She'll be back in time for Fitz's Halloween party. I'd rather her be gone just before our daughter is born rather than right after," William paused in the bathroom doorway, watching as she sat in the chair by the bed. "Give me ten minutes and I'll help you pack."

"I'll be ready and waiting."

* * *

When William was out of the shower, he helped Lizzie pack up their hospital bags. She quickly became distracted by two outfits and debated which would be the baby's first when they took her home while he took over, filling up the small bags with a few days' worth of clothes for both of them. Eventually, she decided to pack both up in the diaper bag and went through a small list of essentials to make sure they had enough supplies and outfits. Their bags were ready to go and William stashed them right outside the closet on top of each other.

Afterwards, they spent most of the day outside, visiting the farmer's market, and having a leisurely lunch. They didn't make it home until mid-afternoon and Lizzie took a nap, feeling tired from the day. William used the opportunity to install the base of the car seats into each car since they were planning ahead and took two trips to the local AAA to get each one inspected and approved. He started working on dinner when he got home and Lizzie woke up from her nap just as he was setting the table.

Once they finished dinner, they migrated to the living room to watch a movie. They barely paid attention to the screen once the baby started moving. They were both fascinated at how much more pronounced the movement was, watching as the baby would push out to make room. When Lizzie would press down on one part of her stomach, the baby would push back. William was able to catch the sight on camera. It was a very relaxing day and they knew the peace would be a rare treat once the baby came along. They enjoyed it for what it was and went to bed together, content from their day.

* * *

 _Friday, October 12th (36 weeks)_

Lizzie spent the better part of her next two weeks texting random questions to Hannah and working her last days before maternity leave. Jane was no longer as big of a help because Lizzie had officially made it past when her sister had her twins. She woke up one morning to her sleep shirt damp and realized her breasts were leaking and another morning with the worst charley horse in her right leg. Hannah assured her that it was all normal and gave her a few helpful tips on what to do. William was thankfully there to help her massage the painful cramp out of her leg.

During her last two weeks at the office, she was in production meetings, prepping with Andrea and Lara for the months she would be gone, and outlining plans for her biggest projects. She had faith in temporarily handing things over to them, knowing the company would be in great hands. They were some of the most hectic yet productive days Lizzie had in a while since she was trying to cram four months of information into two weeks.

It was nearing the end of the day and she was in her office cleaning up and answering emails when there was a knock on the door. Andrea stuck her head in.

"Hey. Are you busy?" Andrea asked.

"Just…one…sec," Lizzie said absently, finishing up her last email and sending it. "Okay, emails are all sent. What's up?"

"I wanted to run something by you. I've got it all in the conference room."

"Sure," Lizzie nodded, getting up and following Andrea. She didn't notice that Katie wasn't at her desk or that it didn't seem as busy as usual as she walked down the hall. She had been in work mode all day so she was genuinely surprised when Andrea led her to the largest conference room they had and it was filled with most of her employees, all eagerly awaiting her arrival. There were multi-colored balloons all around the room with 'Baby Darcy' on them, various presents on the table, some food and drinks, along with and a cake with 'Congratulations! Come back soon!' written on it.

"Oh my god," Lizzie gasped, bringing a hand to her chest. "I don't…know what to say!"

"Probably thank you," Katie quipped and Lizzie laughed before profusely thanking them all. Andrea gestured to a chair and Lizzie happily took it before she began to open presents. Many of them were custom-made onesies with the titles of the productions currently happening, along with one that had ' _Future D.E.P. Employee_ ' across the front.

"William is going to _love_ this one," Lizzie snorted. Her employees were generous and very kind with their presents, gifting her with a few months of a cloth diaper service, teething toys from one employee who insisted it was a godsend, and other necessities. After she was done, the cake was cut and everybody helped themselves to food. She happily talked with those who came up to her and listened to the advice from some of her employees who were already parents. It was a lovely surprise and a great way to end her last day in the office. When it was time to call it a day, she closed up her office and both Katie and Andrea helped bring her things to her car.

"Now, I know you'll be doing work at home, but you should still take it easy. The last few weeks before she comes is when you need to get as much rest as you can," Andrea insisted. "And Lara and I have everything under control."

"I believe it. I'm not worried," Lizzie smiled, putting a hand on her belly. "And I'll let you know when she gets here. You'll probably be able to meet her at the holiday party. William and I are going to make an effort to go to both company holiday parties. It depends on how long past my due date she arrives."

"Hopefully she won't make you wait too long," Andrea said.

"For both William's and my sake, I sincerely hope not!"

Lizzie gave Andrea a hug before getting in the car and heading home. She beat William there by only a minute and she was emptying her car when he pulled into his spot.

"Hey, beautiful," William greeted, getting out of the car. "May I offer you a hand?"

"You may," Lizzie handed him some of the presents. "I was thrown a surprise baby shower. I got some pretty cute stuff."

"That was nice of them," William replied, kissing her hello. He looked at everything in her car. "You really got a lot of things. I think this is going to require two trips."

"I think so too." Lizzie grabbed what she could and closed her trunk. They headed upstairs and he set the gifts down before grabbing her keys, offering to get the rest. He returned a few minutes later with the rest of the gifts and a bouquet of flowers.

"That wasn't in my car."

William handed them to her and Lizzie's face softened at his gesture.

"No, they were in mine. I bought them on the way home as a way to celebrate your last day in the office and for making it thirty-six weeks," William explained as she smelled the flowers. He put the rest of the gifts down and tied the balloons to the chair. Then he grabbed a vase from the cabinet and began filling it with water.

"I love them," Lizzie sighed, thanking him and sitting down as he took care of it. "I can't believe I'm nine months already and still have four weeks to go. It's such a misconception that they say you're pregnant for nine months when forty weeks amounts to ten."

William smiled at her as placed the vase on the center of the kitchen island before joining her side and kissing her temple.

"They're beautiful," Lizzie said softly, leaning into him a little. "Thank you for being so thoughtful."

"It really was nothing," William replied, exhaling. He stepped away and grabbed some food from the fridge and a pot from a drawer. "Alright. How about I get started on dinner and you can tell me all about your day? I'd love for you to show me what you got."

Lizzie brightened at his suggestion and nodded, reaching out to grab some of the presents.

"There's this onesie I want to show you…"

* * *

 _Wednesday, October 17th (36 weeks and 5 days)_

Over the last five days, Lizzie was beginning to understand nesting. She couldn't stop cleaning and moving things around. On Saturday, she was working in her office and then her mind drifted to the bookcase against the wall. Three hours later and everything was re-arranged by size and color. On Sunday, she re-arranged it again so that all her books were in alphabetical order. By Monday, she had answered all her emails before cleaning the entire kitchen from top to bottom. When William came home, he found her on a step ladder and dusting the tops of the cabinets. Needless to say, he was not happy at the sight and he jumped in to take over, telling her the stepladder was off-limits until the baby arrived. On Tuesday, she attacked the bedroom closet with gusto, getting rid of clothes she hadn't worn in over two years. She resisted going through William's side, but couldn't help straightening his tie rack.

She forced herself to work since it was her last day alone. She was able to accomplish a lot and even video conferenced into a meeting just before lunch. William would be joining her in working from home starting tomorrow, and they had a doctor appointment at the end of the day. They were seeing Doctor Gates every other week now since she hit thirty-four weeks. She was deep in reading a contract when William finally came home to pick her up.

"So, what did you clean today?" William jokingly asked as he drove them to the doctor's office.

"My inbox!" Lizzie retorted. "I actually focused and worked today."

"That's good. My employees threw a little party for me before I left to get you," William said. "There were cupcakes with the Pemberley Digital logo on them and the logo was pink."

"Really? And you didn't bring one home for me?"

"They were quite popular. I barely got the one I did."

Lizzie chuckled. "It's kind of funny how happy they all are for us. It's like the excitement hasn't really died down."

"I have a feeling that it won't," William shrugged. "When my employees are happy, they're more productive so who am I to put a stop to something that harmless?"

"Mine are too," Lizzie said, looking over at him. "I can't wait to see her."

"Me neither," William said warmly, reaching over and rubbing her belly for a moment as they were stopped at a light.

* * *

Lizzie was taken to a room shortly after they checked in at the doctor's office. She was weighed and learned that she had gained a total of twenty pounds throughout the last nine months. She hoped she wouldn't gain too much more because her back was starting to ache by the end of the day every day. Her stats were normal, which pleased the nurse, and she and William were taken to another room. The nurse gave Lizzie a gown and then they were left alone. Lizzie changed while they waited for the doctor.

"Lizzie, William, hello!" Dr. Gates walked in. "I hear we had a little adventure while I was gone?"

"Oh, it was a blast," Lizzie said sarcastically.

"We're very cautious around here when your blood pressure gets high," Dr. Gates reminded her, double-checking her chart on the computer. "But you've had great readings throughout this pregnancy. Let's hope it was a one-time incident."

William spoke up, "Especially since I missed that particular appointment."

"My sister had fun, at least," Lizzie said lightly. "And we got some practice in."

"That's a positive way to think about it," Dr. Gates chuckled, standing up. "Alright, we have a few things to go over now that you're in your ninth month."

Dr. Gates asked about the baby's movements since the last appointment, and measured Lizzie's stomach. Then she checked the baby's heart rate and told Lizzie that she would need to go to the lab afterwards so her sugar and protein levels could be checked.

"Now, I'm going to do an internal exam and the Group B strep test," Dr. Gates told Lizzie, explaining what the test was in more detail. She washed her hands and put on some gloves before returning to Lizzie. "If you would lay back for me and put your legs on the stirrups."

Lizzie laid back on the table and got into position as Dr. Gates continued her exam. She was drumming her fingers and William reached over and took her hand, giving it a squeeze. Dr. Gates finished a few minutes later and pulled off her gloves, tossing them in the trash.

"All done," Dr. Gates announced as William helped Lizzie sit back up. "You're one and a half centimeters dilated and twenty-five percent effaced."

"What?" Lizzie's eyebrows shot up. "Should I be this soon?"

"Your body is slowly preparing itself for labor. It may take some time still," Dr. Gates assured.

"Do we need to limit…certain activities?" Lizzie asked.

"Like cleaning?" William added with emphasis. Lizzie laughed and pushed his shoulder.

"Nesting?" Dr. Gates asked out of curiosity and Lizzie nodded. "It's an instinct that usually kicks in around now. As long as you listen to your body and rest, you should be fine."

"Sure. I also meant activities of bedroom variety," Lizzie clarified.

"Again, nothing too strenuous. You know your limits," Dr. Gates replied.

Lizzie and William asked her a few more questions before she was given orders to go to the lab for her tests.

"We'll be having weekly appointments from here on out so I'll see you next Friday," Dr. Gates told them, getting up. She said goodbye and left them in the room for Lizzie to change. William helped Lizzie off the table and dropped a kiss to her temple.

"I can't believe I'm a centimeter and a half dilated already," Lizzie commented as she changed into her dress. "I figured I wouldn't start until I was actually in labor."

"Remember in our classes that each body prepares differently," William said, offering his arm as she slid into her flats. "And yours has decided to get a head start."

"Alright, let's get to the lab so I can give them a sample before my bladder bursts."

"Well, we definitely don't want that happening," William said, holding the door open. "Lead the way, Mrs. Darcy."

* * *

 _Saturday, October 20th (37 weeks and 1 day)_

"You're sure you're up for hosting the dinner this month?" William asked Lizzie as he was cutting up some vegetables. Lizzie snuck by and stole a carrot, popping it in her mouth. He lightly smacked her butt as she walked by. She looked back at her and he smirked.

"Excuse you, sir."

"Couldn't resist," William told her. "We're feeding seven other people this evening so try not to eat everything."

"I've taken _two_ carrots."

"Uh huh. Go sit down and rest," William encouraged.

"If you insist," Lizzie said, taking a seat on the couch. "And yes, since you're willing to do all the work this time. Besides Fitz and Brandon's Halloween shindig, this is our last get-together before she arrives. Plus, Lydia's bringing Adam for the first time and we can't miss that."

"It's a shame Gigi's missing it," William noted.

"I'll fill her in on all the gossip when we have brunch on Thursday," Lizzie said. "I'm really looking forward to seeing her again. I've missed her."

"Me too. But she really thrives when she's in London."

"I'm glad she found something that makes her happy," Lizzie said, watching her husband as he prepared the main dish and put it in the oven. He set the timer and began to clean up. "It's funny but I didn't picture that Pemberley would be it for her. At least when I was first getting to know her."

"I think she just needed that time in Sanditon to realize what she wanted. Once she understood that I wasn't going to force her to do something just because of the family name," William said. "That's not to say I'm not thrilled she's part of the Pemberley team. She's really developed and become her own person. I'm very proud of her."

"And that's why you're going to be a great father," Lizzie remarked warmly. William stopped his cleaning and put the towel down, heading over to her with a smile on his face. He bent down and kissed her gently.

"Thank you for the reassurance," William murmured, brushing his thumb across her cheek. "You're going to be amazing. I know you already know that but I want you to hear it."

"It's nice to hear," Lizzie whispered.

* * *

Fitz and Brandon were the first ones to arrive and Lizzie answered the door while William took care of the food.

"Hi guys," Lizzie greeted happily, getting a hug from both of them. "You're the first. Come on it.

"You're looking great, Lizzie," Brandon said as they followed her down the hall.

"Would you happen to have a little waddle in your step, Lizzie D?" Fitz asked, amusement in his voice.

"No. It's not that bad! Don't talk about it," Lizzie grumbled, leading them into the kitchen. "William thinks it's adorable."

"I'm sorry but I do," William piped up, smiling at her. She rolled her eyes at him

"Sorry. It's barely noticeable," Fitz chuckled, holding up a box. "Would a certain chocolate cake make up for my comments?"

"It's possible," Lizzie thawed, rubbing her belly. "It would be worse if I was bigger and not doing my prenatal yoga. Jane couldn't avoid it though. She said she was waddling for weeks."

"Why _do_ pregnant women waddle?" Fitz asked out of curiosity.

"Probably because she's hanging out in my pelvis and on my bladder," Lizzie explained. "Speaking of, I'll be right back. The bathroom calls, yet again."

By the time Lizzie returned, Charlotte and Sam had arrived and were setting up the appetizers in the kitchen. She and Charlotte talked a bit while the guys did all the work in the kitchen.

Lydia and Adam finally arrived, armed with side dishes for the dinner. Lydia introduced him to everyone, despite half of them meeting him at one time or another.

"And you obviously know my sister," Lydia finished, gesturing to Lizzie.

"I do. It's nice to see you again, Lizzie," Adam smiled, shaking her hand. Lydia left him with Lizzie as she brought the food in the kitchen, helping the others.

"It's nice to see you too. I still get emails about you and people wondering where you are now."

Adam looked taken aback. "Really? Wow. Well, if you get any others, I'll be playing Bob Cratchit in _A Christmas Carol_ starting the beginning of December. I'm starting rehearsals in a week."

Lizzie laughed. "I'll let them know."

"Congratulations, by the way. How much longer? A month? Two?"

"Actually, I only have a few weeks left," Lizzie said, putting a hand on her stomach. "Three, to be exact."

"Oh, that's soon! My sister Erin did not look as good as you. She sort of took the eating for two to heart and gained about sixty pounds with both my niece and nephew. Whatever was in sight, she'd scarf it down. And she was in labor for like two days both times. It took her forever to lose the baby weight. She looks great now but you know…" Adam trailed off, rubbing the back of his neck.

Lizzie held back her smile and she could see Fitz barely containing himself behind Adam. She didn't dare look at Charlotte because she would be just as bad. Poor Adam was obviously nervous about tonight and was rambling. She recognized it so easily now, considering who she was married to. She knew the only way to help him out was to urge him on.

"So you have a niece and nephew? How old are they?" Lizzie asked.

Adam visibly relaxed. "My niece is four and my nephew is one. Samantha and Alex."

Charlotte spoke up "And is it just you and your sister?"

"Actually, I also have a younger brother too. Owen is still in school. He's studying to become a doctor…"

* * *

"Darcy, wow. You've really outdone yourself with the pot roast!" Fitz complimented, patting his full stomach. The rest of the table heartily agreed as they finished up their meal.

"Thank you," William replied. "Lizzie's request."

"It was delicious," Lizzie said to him with a smile. Fitz got up to clear the table for dessert and Adam quickly offered to help. They grabbed all the dishes in one trip and left the group.

"I like him," Charlotte said to Lydia, watching the guys walk towards the kitchen. "He seems nervous when he doesn't need to be, but he's a smart one."

"I told him he didn't need to be," Lydia shrugged, noticing that he started to wash the dishes. "But it's good to know you approve."

"We all approve." Brandon leaned in closer to her, lowering his voice. "You can tell that he really likes you."

"We're still taking things pretty slow," Lydia admitted shyly.

"He's funny too," Charlotte said and the rest of the group nodded. "And he was staring at you a lot when you weren't looking."

"Look at that. You found yourself a distant cousin of my husband," Lizzie teased.

"He's not _that_ bad," Lydia protested, then realized what she said. "No offense, William."

"None taken," he chuckled. "But I noticed the same thing."

"I like him a lot and we're pacing ourselves. We've been pretty casual so far but…there's something there," Lydia admitted before quickly saying. "Nothing out of any of you! I'm scared enough that he's in the kitchen alone with Fitz."

"Don't you worry about him. He's a pussy cat one-on-one," Brandon told her with a smile. "And we promise not to push either."

"Thank you," Lydia said with a relieved sigh. They talked for a few minutes more before Fitz came back from the kitchen,

"Who wants cake?" Fitz asked enthusiastically, holding up plates. Adam was behind him with the cake and Lizzie noticed the smile growing on his face when he glanced over to Lydia.

"There's also chocolate and vanilla ice cream in the freezer. I'll get it," William told them, getting up and heading to the kitchen. He returned a moment later with an ice cream scoop and the ice cream. As Adam and William served dessert, Fitz returned to his seat.

"Did Brandon mention any details of our Halloween party?" Fitz looked around the table. Everybody shook their heads. "We're having a DJ this year and a costume contest. I hope you guys are ready."

"We got our costumes sorted out on Thursday," William noted.

"Awesome! Can't wait to see what you guys decided on," Fitz grinned. "Lydia? Adam? Are you coming? It's next Saturday at eight until we're tired enough to kick people out."

"I'm working on Saturday. Sorry, Fitz," Lydia turned him down gently.

"Well, I wouldn't go without her," Adam said. "But I'm actually babysitting for my sister. She and her husband are having a date night."

"That's a shame," Fitz said.

"Maybe next year," Brandon added.

"I hope it's family friendly if you want us to come next year," Lizzie said with a pointed look.

"If it gives us the pleasure of an actual matching family costume? I am _so_ down for that." Fitz looked positively gleeful.

Lizzie laughed. "You'll just have to wait and see."

* * *

Lydia and Charlotte were finalizing plans with Lizzie for the next morning to treat her to a spa day. They had found a place that gave head, neck, and shoulder massages at the same time as getting pedicures and manicures. Lizzie was looking forward to a girls' day out and being pampered at the same time. Nobody actually realized how late it was until she started yawning every few minutes. Everybody offered a hand in cleaning up before they all slowly started to leave. Charlotte and Sam were the first to go with Lizzie making lunch plans with Charlotte and a big hug.

"Thank you again for a great night," Adam said, handing Lydia her jacket as they stood by the door. "I hope I can come to another one when my schedule permits."

"You're welcome any time," Lizzie said happily. "We switch places every month so it won't be at ours again until after the new year."

"It was a pleasure." William shook his hand while Lydia hugged her sister, promising to pick her up in the morning for their spa day.

Once the kitchen was immaculate and leftover food was put away, Fitz and Brandon decided to call it a night as well.

"I'm quite proud of you, Fitz. You were on your best behavior with Adam tonight," Lizzie pointed out.

"I gotta make a good impression in the beginning. Isn't that how we became friends so easily?" Fitz asked with a twinkle in his eye.

"I mean, it was pretty easy to like you when you standing next to this grump," Lizzie teased, leaning into William's side and patting his chest.

"I'd be offended if it wasn't true."

"Look at it this way. She's your wife and she's carrying your child right now." Fitz clapped him on the shoulder. "I think you just got the best outcome available."

Lizzie could visibly see the happiness on his face and it brought herself joy when he looked down at her and smiled.

"I really did."

* * *

 _Wednesday, October 24th (37 weeks and 5 days)_

Lizzie had had a very relaxing Sunday with Lydia and Charlotte, getting pampered from head to toe. They got their hair done where they were shampooed and given scalp massages in the process. Lizzie only had her hair trimmed but Lydia got hers layered and a few inches cut off. Charlotte was the most bold, getting it cut just below her ears, and the girls loved it. Then they had matching French manicures and pedicures and Lizzie nearly admitted that the foot massage was just as good as William's.

After such an enjoyable day, Lizzie thought she would have trouble concentrating on work. She had to admit that she actually focused more when William was home though. Over the next two days, they each spent the morning in their offices to get work done. By lunch, they both would get tired of the solitude and would migrate to the living room with laptops in hand. The only time she really had some time to herself was when William left in the afternoon to pick his sister up from the airport and drop her off at her place.

However, when she woke up this morning, she was dragging her feet and feeling sluggish. She shuffled to the bathroom while William was just barely waking up. After taking care of her full bladder and washing her hands, she looked around the bathroom. She began to calculate how long it would take to clean from top to bottom, starting with the mirror.

"Hey beautiful." William's voice rumbled, gently knocking on the door before walking into the bathroom. He came up behind her and pressed a kiss to the top of her head as he slid his hands to her stomach. "You've been in here for a while. You okay?"

"Have I?" Lizzie asked in surprise. "I was thinking of strategies."

"For work or…" William looked at her reflection in the mirror. "Planning to clean again?"

"For cleaning," Lizzie mumbled and her cheeks turned a subtle shade of red. She caught the barest hint of his smile in the mirror. "How exciting are these last weeks are going to be when all we're doing is working and cleaning?"

"Well," William bent his head down and kissed her shoulder. "The anticipation of the baby coming is exciting."

"Very true," Lizzie sighed as he began to leave a trail of kisses along her neck.

"And we have these last weeks alone together."

"I do love spending time with you."

"We have the Halloween party with a reserved chair just for you," William continued and she hummed in assent, amused at the last part. "Then there are the weekly doctor appointments."

Lizzie snickered. "Not exactly what I was thinking."

"Each one brings us closer to her," William whispered, kissing the spot behind her ear. "How about this? Tonight, I'm going to take you out to dinner. We'll get all dressed up and I'll wear one of the suits you love so much."

"May I pick it?" Lizzie asked playfully.

"You may." William's lips curved up against her skin. "Then we will go out to dinner and have a night out on the town. Think of it as one of our last big celebrations before she arrives."

"That sounds really nice," Lizzie said wistfully.

"And we'll do the same thing next week…and the week after that," William told her, his warm breath skating across her neck. It sent a shiver down her spine with the way he said it. "But I won't tell you what day we're going until that morning so that way, you'll be anticipating it."

"Tricky man." Lizzie leaned back into him and he slid his hands to the front of her belly, spreading his fingers. "And what about after dinner tonight?"

"That's really up to you, love," William replied lowly, kissing her earlobe.

"Then I have a feeling tonight is going to be a good night," Lizzie cooed.

William chuckled and she felt the vibrations of his voice. "Be ready by six thirty."

* * *

Lizzie had to hand it to William. She was anticipating their evening plans all day long. She tried to distract herself by actually cleaning the bathroom and then burying herself in work for much of the day but it didn't work. He wouldn't even tell her where he was taking her, just to wear something nice. By five, she gave up all pretenses and called it a day with work. She walked straight to their closet and went to William's side, deciding which suit she wanted to see him wearing. She laid out her choice and began getting ready herself.

It took her a little longer with her belly but she wanted to look her best for the night out. She curled her hair and put on a little makeup before slipping on her new midnight blue dress and checking herself out in the mirror. It was made out of stretchy lace with an elaborate matching floral pattern throughout the knee-length dress. The sleeves were capped, and the edges were scalloped, which were highlighted in the deep crossover neck in the front and the back. The material was soft and comfortable, it didn't bunch up anywhere so she chose not to add the sash that came with the dress. She added silver earrings and the matching necklace that William gave her for their second anniversary. All she needed was a pair of shoes.

As soon as she walked out of the bathroom, she heard a low whistle and turned to see her husband. He was buttoning the jacket of his perfectly fitted charcoal gray suit and black pocket square. He paired it with a white button down, a skinny black tie, and black dress shoes. He had chosen not to shave his scruff and it made him look even more debonair.

"Hello, gorgeous." William's voice was deep and velvety. He put his hand to his chest and she watched as his gaze traveled blatantly up and down, checking her out.

"Hello to you too, handsome," Lizzie slinked over to him. "You like?"

"I _love_ ," William emphasized, reaching out and tucking strand of curly hair behind her ear. Then he noticed the earrings and he smiled. "You are seriously stunning, love."

"I still need my shoes."

"One moment," William said, stepping into the closet. He emerged with a pair of black flats for her and set them down for her. As she slipped them on, he switched out his black pocket square for a midnight blue one so he could match her.

"There we go," Lizzie said, grabbing her black clutch and posing for him.

"It's really not fair to the other ladies that you look this amazing."

"Smooth talker." Lizzie felt herself heating up as she gazed at him. How this man got this reaction out of her so easily was beyond her.

"I only speak the truth," William leaned in and kissed her temple. "You ready?"

"For my hot date? Of course."

"Good," William said, checking his phone and slipping it into his pocket. "Because the car is waiting downstairs."

Lizzie loved that William was pulling out all the stops for their dinner date. He would usually set up a car if they were planning to go out for a drink or stay late so he didn't have to pay attention to the road or keep his hands on the wheel. His hand rested on her thigh, his thumb casually stroking her knee, all while his gaze was on hers and focusing all his attention on her as they talked. He would occasionally lean in to steal a kiss and she would feel that familiar little flutter.

Soon, the car slowed down and pulled onto a very narrow street. Lizzie looked out the window before giving William a curious look. A few moments later, the car stopped and the driver announced they had arrived. William got out of the car first and hurried over to Lizzie's side to help her out. Then he gave the driver some instructions before driving away. They had never been here before but as soon as Lizzie saw the blue neon sign, her face lit up.

"Bix? I've always wanted to go here," Lizzie smiled.

Bix Restaurant was a supper club serving modern American cuisine that had the look of a 1920s speakeasy with beautiful artwork and architecture. As soon as Lizzie and William stepped inside, she felt like she had been transported back in time. William checked in with the host and the man beckoned over a man in a white jacket, quietly talking to him for a moment as he nodded.

"Welcome to Bix," the server announced. "If you would follow me."

Lizzie looked at William with quiet excitement as he led them into the restaurant, past the curved bar. There were huge fluted columns, large mahogany booths with plush seating, and a piano in the corner. A trumpet and saxophone player were accompanying the pianist, playing some smooth jazz in the opposite corner. They were led up the grand staircase and she kept her comments to herself when she felt William's hand on her lower back and he took her arm. The man showed them to a booth in the corner, giving them a perfect view of the entire restaurant and the live music. The man told them their waiter would be with them in a moment and to enjoy their evening.

"Thank you," William said with a polite smile.

Lizzie looked around the place at the details. Some paintings took up entire sections of the wall, there was a small speaker above them that poured out the live music, and little lamps dotted the table.

"You know, I _am_ capable of climbing a flight of stairs," Lizzie told him. She hoped he heard the amusement in the tone of her voice.

"I know you are. I'm allowed to show concern for my wife who is nine months pregnant," William replied. "And if I didn't know you were capable, I would have asked for a table downstairs. I wanted the best for both of us."

Lizzie smiled in appreciation.

Their waiter appeared a moment later with their menus, welcoming them and offering suggestions for any dishes. Once they ordered something to drink as well as some appetizers, they were left alone to peruse the menu further.

"This place is wonderful," Lizzie said, leaning into him. "Have you been here before?"

"Once. A very long time ago with my parents. Gigi wanted a sophisticated setting for her tenth birthday dinner. The band played jazz renditions of her favorite songs at the time. She loved every minute of it," William said fondly and Lizzie squeezed his hand. "They've updated quite a bit since then."

"Well, I'm glad you thought of it," Lizzie murmured before glancing to the menu. "There's so much to choose from."

"What are you thinking?"

"I'm _thinking_ of the sea bass, but I'm still avoiding seafood."

"Then what does the baby want?" William asked good-humoredly.

"The lamb," Lizzie played along. "Hopefully the spiced yogurt isn't too spicy. Don't want to get heartburn. I've been so lucky to avoid it so far."

"I'm sure it will be fine," William assured her. "The quail sounds too good to pass up for me."

Lizzie and William's dinner were as delicious as they had hoped and the waiter made sure that nothing would be too spicy for her. As they were finishing up their entrees, there was one more surprise that William had set up. The music had stopped for a few moments and when they started up again, a jazz rendition of _Can't Help Falling in Love_ filled the restaurant. Lizzie felt tears prick at the corners of her eyes when she realized he had requested it. She pulled him in for a sweet kiss to thank him. She rested her head on his shoulder and took his hand, enclosing it with both hers, as they listened.

Afterwards, the waiter returned to clear the table and they ordered dessert, getting what the waiter told them was his favorite dish. Dessert was so delicious that Lizzie stealthily took a couple bites of William's and he only stopped her when he had a little left. They left the restaurant and took a short walk, not quite ready to go home. The air was a bit chilly and Lizzie stayed nestled to his side, sighing every time he dropped a kiss to her head. Soon, they agreed it was time to go and William had the car return to take them home.

They spent most of the car ride teasing each other and stealing kisses. Lizzie couldn't wait until they got home, anxious to get out of her clothes and show him what she was wearing underneath. She also couldn't wait to get William out of his clothes too, despite how good he made that suit look. The car ride felt twice as long on the way home but they finally pulled up to their place and William took care of the driver as the doorman helped Lizzie out of the car. She walked ahead through the lobby and made it to the elevators before she saw William just barely control his speed towards her.

"Can't escape that easily," William breathed in her ear, pressed against her back.

"Wasn't trying to," Lizzie whispered back as the doors slid open. She walked in and turned around, beckoning him in and toying with her bottom lip as he slinked towards her. He pressed the button for the top floor and then closed the distance between them, framing her face and bending down to kiss her. It was soft but passionate and she held onto the lapels of his jacket, secretly hoping nobody would interrupt them. She could tell he was holding back but he was biding his time and controlling himself. If she weren't nine months pregnant, she knew he be pressing her up against a wall and her legs would be wrapped around him after a night like tonight. That image in her head awakened a heat in her lower belly and she moaned into his mouth. The elevator dinged at their floor and they quickly broke apart, both breathing a little heavily.

Lizzie led William to the door while he pulled the keys out of his pocket. Once they were inside, Lizzie kicked off her shoes as he closed and locked the door behind him. She looked over her shoulder and grinned, waiting for him to follow her.

"Tease," William said huskily, following her to the bedroom. He removed his jacket and took it off, resting on a kitchen chair.

"Good to know I still got it," Lizzie hummed, leading them into the bedroom.

"You will _always_ have it," William promised her, unbuttoning the cuffs of his sleeves. "I can't look at you without seeing how sexy you are, pregnant or otherwise."

They entered the bedroom and she went to the bureau to take off her earrings and necklace. She watched as her husband removed his tie and belt and tossed them to a chair.

She smiled and walked over to him, reaching up and unbuttoning the top of his shirt. He leaned in and kissed as her hands continued on their downward path. She reached the last button and he slid his lips to her jawline, slowly kissing every inch. At the same time, she ran her hands up his toned torso, feeling heat beneath her palms. He pulled her hair to one side and she arched her neck as he kissed the spot below her ear. She sighed and grabbed both ends of his shirt, pausing for a moment to enjoy the way he was kissing her. Then she pushed his shirt off his shoulders and let it fall to the floor. She fumbled for the button and zip of his pants, purposely brushing against his bulge. He gently bit down on her shoulder and she gasped in surprise.

"You like that," Lizzie murmured. He pulled back and she saw his eyes were dark with lust, sending a jolt of arousal right between her thighs. If there was something she loved the most about being pregnant, it was how heightened her hormones were. Their sex life was even better than before and they never had anything to complain about in the first place.

"As do you," William said, stepping back and taking his pants off. He removed his socks for good measure and he was left in a pair of gray boxer-briefs that left nothing to the imagination. There was no question about it: in their quest to stay healthy throughout her pregnancy, William was in the best shape of his life. Between the yoga and bike riding, her tall and lean husband had even more definition in his arms, legs, and chest. She loved to feel the ridges of his abdominal muscles beneath her hands when she was on top.

"Lizzie." William broke her off her trance and she felt her cheeks heat up ever so slightly, realizing what she was doing. "If you're going to stare, you could give me something to look at in return," he said suggestively.

"As you wish," Lizzie said cheekily, taking a step back. She grabbed the bottom hem of her dress and slowly pulled it up and over her head, revealing a matching set of navy blue silk bikini briefs and bra. It was a recent purchase that made her feel sexy and comfortable at the same time.

"Gorgeous," William exhaled. "And unnecessary."

Lizzie arched an eyebrow. "Because you're going to take them off in a second?"

"Yes." William reached out and tugged her closer, turning her around so that her back was pressed against his torso. She could feel his arousal and she pushed back, getting a little groan out of him. "And because you're just as sexy without them."

William slid his hands up her body and stopping at her shoulders. He tugged her bra straps down her arm before effortlessly unhooking the back. She watched it fall to the floor and waited in anticipation for his touch. Her eyelids fluttering as he brushed his fingers across her sensitive nipples. Over the last couple weeks, he seemed completely tuned into her body. He was careful with her increasingly sensitive and tender breasts, especially as her body was changing for the baby's arrival.

He kissed her across her shoulder and dragging his lips to her neck. She let out a shuddered breath as he began to math a path down the center of her back, his hands following and brushing along her skin. He dropped down to his knees and kissed every part of her back that he could. His hands were traveling over her curves like he was worshipping every part of her and she could barely stand it. Before she had the chance to say anything, he hooked his fingers in the band of her underwear and began to pull them down. She stepped out of them and hummed to herself as she felt his hands glide back up, feeling a sparse kiss on the back of her legs. She was caught up in his movement, aching and wishing for his hands to move a little quicker. He stood up behind her and she felt him pressing into her back, finally freed of the confines of his boxer-briefs. Her legs began to tremble a little from her need and she whimpered as he ran two fingers along her entrance. She heard his little growl near her ear from his discovery of how aroused she was. William brought a hand to her cheek, making her turn back to look at him. Then he kissed her passionately, as if they hadn't in forever.

She began to inch forward towards the bed and he held onto her as they kissed, one arm wrapped around her belly. She broke it off to take a breath and kneeled onto the bed, moving forward to make room for him. When she reached out to grab a pillow, he slowly traced her sex and she let out a sigh.

"Can't keep your hands off me, huh," Lizzie murmured, looking over her shoulder. He grinned and she pushed back, immediately wanting to feel him again. She spread her legs a little and he proved her right as he traced her sex again. He teased her for far too long until finally, he gently pressed his thumb against her clit and she moaned. Then he slid two fingers inside and she dug her fingers into the sheets, dropping her head onto the pillow. He bent over her body and kissed her shoulder as he worked his fingers inside her. He rubbed along her most sensitive spot and her hips bucked. The sensations were overwhelming but Lizzie just kept asking for more. She was teetering right at the edge. Then one more swipe and she moaned deeply, thoroughly enjoying every moment of her climax spreading through her body. She vaguely sensed William's soft kisses along her back and whimpered when he sat up and pulled his hand away, sliding it over to her hip.

"The answer to your question would be unequivocally no," William replied gruffly, readying himself and pressing against her entrance.

Lizzie looked at her husband on his knees behind her and saw his eyes were full of love, lust, and admiration as one corner of his lips curved up. There was a moment of pause between them and then he sunk himself inside her, both of them sighing. He bent down and covered her body with his, kissing the spot below her ear.

"And it will never change," William whispered. Lizzie closed her eyes from the thrill she got at the sound of those words. He began to move and he created a rhythm between them that was slow and steady, wanting to make it last. She arched her neck so that she could kiss him, needing his lips on hers. His tongue slid along hers and she deepened the kiss, wanting to have all of him. Every thrust brought her more pleasure and every groan of his was music to her ears. He slid his hands over hers and entwining his fingers between hers as they dug into the sheets. She loved the closeness and the weight of him against her, almost making up for not being able to be face-to-face with him.

She bit down on his bottom lip, sucking on it as he drove into her. She shifted her legs a bit closer together and clenched around him. His hips snapped and a growl rumbled from his throat. The deepness of that sound had her throbbing for more and she clenched again, feeling him push a little further. She dropped her head to the pillow and moved their joined hands between her thighs, rubbing fingers around her clit. She was nearly there and William was right behind her, his thrusts becoming less rhythmic. After one last squeeze around him, he groaned her name and she felt the pulsing of him coming. The sensation was just enough to set off her own orgasm and she let out a muffled cry as bliss coursed through her veins. They slowed down, drawing out their shared pleasure and working to catch their breaths.

William untangled their fingers and brought a hand to her cheek, turning her head to share another kiss. Lizzie hummed against his lips. Too soon, he pulled out of her and she lay down on her side. He grabbed the blanket at the end of the bed and lay down next to her, covering them both up. She smiled as his hand wandered over her body once more before resting on the swell of her stomach.

"Did this evening live up to your expectations?" William asked softly.

"With the anticipation of the day and everything?" Lizzie paused for a moment. "It was better. I'm looking forward to seeing what you'll plan for next week."

"I'll have to step it up, won't I?"

"I don't know. We're pretty simple," Lizzie said, exhaling as William rubbed her stomach. "Include a foot rub and shoulder massage and you may get a repeat of tonight."

"Oh yeah?" William quirked an eyebrow. "I'll make a note of it in my calendar."

"Does your calendar have other important dates already in there?"

"I may or may not have something planned for around six weeks after this little one is born," William said, brushing his thumb across her skin.

"Six weeks of no sex. How will we _ever_ survive?" Lizzie asked melodramatically, using a slight southern twang.

"First of all, please never use that voice in bed. It reminds me too much of your mother," William said and Lizzie cackled. "And second, we're perfectly capable of controlling ourselves. I will not push you before you're ready or cleared by the doctor."

"Thank you," Lizzie murmured.

"I should be thanking you. You're doing all the work."

"You're right, I am. You're welcome," Lizzie said smugly. William's face broke out into a big smile and he chuckled.

"And that is why I love you so much."

"I love you too."

* * *

 _Notes:_

 _And another chapter done!_

 _What are you looking forward to next? The Halloween party and seeing what costumes they're going to wear? Their weekly dates for the last couple weeks?_

 _We're getting closer!_


	18. The Waiting Game

_Summary: Lizzie and William are counting down their final days before the baby arrives_

 _Notes: I'm posting this chapter on my birthday and **in** San Francisco! A birthday treat for you and me! I think you'll enjoy this one :)_

* * *

 _Thursday, October 25th (37 weeks and 6 days)_

After Lizzie and William's romantic night out, they were more than happy that they didn't have to get up early for work the next day. They stayed out later than they had in a while and Lizzie's back had started to bother her in the middle of the night. Needless to say, she got a fitful night of sleep and was glad no alarm deprived her of more. She tried to rest more after William woke up but around eight am, her bladder began to protest her attempts and she gave up altogether.

She texted Hannah, asking her for tips on how to deal with her aching back since aspirin was out of the question. She was told to try and stretch things out with her exercise routine, to have William massage the affected area, and keep her informed if the back ache persisted. Armed with that knowledge, Lizzie joined William downstairs so she could get in some yoga before she needed to get ready for Gigi, who was coming to pick her up at ten.

"What did Hannah say?" William asked as Lizzie walked in.

"That you have to wait on me hand and foot," Lizzie said, not bothering to hide her smile.

"You're lucky that I already do that," William replied with a chuckle. "What did she really say?"

"Stretch it out, try yoga, and have you massage my back," Lizzie listed. William grabbed the exercise ball and placed it next to him, tapping it for her to come over.

"Then let's try it."

"Remind me to ask the ladies if they can lengthen my massage on Saturday," Lizzie said, getting on her knees next to him. She put her hands on the ball and began to stretch out, mirroring her husband. They spent the next forty-five minutes going through different poses, with William occasionally kneading her lower back. By the end, the ache hadn't completely disappeared but the exercise had dulled it considerably. She left him to work on his more complex poses while she went to get ready for brunch. After her shower, she put her hair up in a bun and paired on a long-sleeved blue tunic with leggings. William walked in as she was slipping on some blue ballet flats.

"You look nice," William commented.

"Thanks. I was wondering if it looked like I was putting any effort into it at all," Lizzie said, exhaling and rubbing her side for a moment.

"You know, if your back is still bothering you, Gigi will understand if you want to cancel."

"It's not bad. The yoga helped. Besides, I haven't seen her _all_ month. I've been looking forward to it."

"As long as you're not pushing yourself," William told her, kissing her cheek and putting a hand on her belly for a moment. "I'm going to take a quick shower before Gigi gets here."

* * *

William found Lizzie in the kitchen, rinsing out a cup of tea before checking her phone. He brushed a hand down her back as he passed her and she flashed him a quick smile.

"There's enough left for you," Lizzie told him.

"Thank you." William grabbed a cup from the cabinet and made his tea. "When will Gigi be here?"

"She's actually on her way up now," Lizzie said, reading the message from her phone.

"Good timing."

There was a knock at the door a moment later and Lizzie motioned for William to stay where he was before she went to answer the door. A bright and peppy Gigi was on the other side when she opened it.

"Lizzie, hi! I missed you!" Gigi said excitedly, giving her a careful hug before pulling back.

"Missed you too! Come on it. I'm sure your brother wants to say hi." Lizzie held the door open more, gesturing to down the hall. She walked in and Lizzie closed the door behind her.

"Sure. You are looking _great_ , by the way!"

Lizzie smiled as she followed Gigi down the entryway.

"Hello, brother," Gigi said, walking into the kitchen.

"Hello, sister," William replied playfully, putting his cup down to give her a hug. "How are you doing?"

"Much better now that I've gotten sleep. How about you now that you're working from home?"

"Good. Taking advantage of sleeping in while I can. Fitz is keeping me up to date."

"I'll let you know if he's exaggerating when I go back next week," Gigi said cheekily and William snorted.

"Of course," William said, taking a sip of his tea. "Where are you taking Lizzie?"

"Park's Tavern."

Lizzie brightened. "Yum! I love their French toast."

"I remembered. We should probably get going if we want to make our reservation."

Lizzie grabbed her bag and slipped her phone inside before they began to head to the door, William following behind them.

"Gigi, take care of Lizzie. Her back's hurting her a bit this morning," William said, holding the door open for them.

"Such a worry wart," Lizzie murmured, patting his arm.

"I worry because I care," William said quietly, leaning in and giving her a kiss.

"She's in good hands, William," Gigi assured him.

"Thank you," William said as Lizzie joined Gigi's side. "And bring me back a piece of their coffee cake, please."

"I'll try not to eat it on the way back," Lizzie joked, waving goodbye.

* * *

When they got to the restaurant, they were thankful they had a reservation because there was a line out the door. Gigi and Lizzie were shown to their table and handed menus once they took their seats, both ordering water first.

"So, what have you been doing since you came back?" Lizzie asked.

"Hibernating," Gigi answered. "No, really, I pretty much just slept the last two days. I didn't have any plans anyway. I'm all settled back into this time zone too."

"It's not really the best way to get rid of jet lag, you know."

Gigi shrugged. "It worked for me. What about you? What's up with the back pain?"

"Just started but it's mild. It comes and goes," Lizzie brushed it off. "I can't get comfortable though. My hips have been feeling looser today. I don't know how to explain it. I have a feeling these last two weeks are going to be interesting."

"Pregnancy is super weird."

"It really is," Lizzie agreed. "I've had a fairly easy pregnancy, so I can't complain too much. I can't believe it's now just weeks until she'll be here."

"I'm excited!" Gigi said brightly. "I mean, you and William are obviously more so than me but I'm totally getting into Aunt Mode already."

"Yes, Auntie Gigi," Lizzie chuckled at her enthusiasm. "But take it easy, especially at first. We'll be adjusting in the beginning and want to figure it all out on our own to start."

"I get it. But you know, whatever you guys need, I am _so_ there. Especially when it means more baby time for me!"

Lizzie reached over to squeeze her hand in appreciation of her offer.

"Don't worry, you'll be spending lots of time with her, I'm sure."

After they both ordered, Gigi spent the time telling Lizzie all about her latest trip to London. Every so often, Lizzie would shift in her seat and would wince just enough for Gigi to notice. By the time they got their meal and were partway through with it, Gigi spoke up.

"Okay." Gigi put her fork down. "Are you sure it's just your back and not anything more? I don't want William to blame me for not paying attention."

"My stomach does feel like it's tightening up, too," Lizzie admitted. She sent a quick text to Hannah to check in while Gigi patiently waited. "But it's probably Braxton-Hicks. My body is tricking me. I refuse to be that person who can't tell the difference and makes three trips to the hospital before it's the real thing."

"What _is_ the difference?" Gigi asked before pulling out her phone and quickly Googling. "Okay. I found something. Have you been feeling the aching more in your back or your abdomen?"

Lizzie thought about it. "My back, for sure. It only spread in the past thirty or so minutes."

"Since you started feeling the pain, does it stop when you move around or stay the same?"

"It lessened when William and I were doing stretches and he was massaging the area," Lizzie told her. "But it's more or less been steady since then."

"And you've been drinking water this whole time so you're not dehydrated…" Gigi added, mostly to herself.

"Right…" Lizzie said slowly.

"So, I don't want to jump to conclusions or anything, but I think you're in the early stages of labor," Gigi said with a gleeful expression.

It took a moment to really comprehend what Gigi was saying. The pain she was feeling was dull at best, but it came in waves and felt like it happened a few times an hour. From the middle of the night until now, it had felt like mild cramps. She remembered reading on a forum that some women likened their first contractions to the same thing. But she hadn't just been considering her back pain as labor symptoms because it wasn't time yet-though it seemed like her body was telling her otherwise.

"Okay, um," Lizzie paused, organizing her thoughts. "The pain is pretty dull so if I am, I'm in the _very_ early stage of labor. So, I think we should keep eating this meal because it would be a waste to abandon such delicious food," Lizzie continued and Gigi nodded in agreement. "There's no need to alert William yet because we're not in a rush. It's not like my water broke or anything. I'm just feeling mild contractions."

"Should I…time them?" Gigi offered and Lizzie couldn't help but chuckle.

"Actually, I have a timer on my phone. William put it on both our phones," Lizzie said. She pulled up the app and set it up before shaking her head. "This is so not how I expected my day to go."

"Seriously? Not how you expected it to go? How are you not freaking out about this? You're in labor!" Gigi bounced in her seat in her enthusiasm.

"Okay, calm down," Lizzie told her. "We only just figured this out."

"But still!"

"I know," Lizzie said, a smile slowly spreading across her face. "But it's going to be a long day and I'd rather not overexcite myself."

"Wow. You're so composed right now!" Gigi exclaimed.

"One of us should be," Lizzie teased.

* * *

 _12:18 pm_

After an admittedly exciting brunch, Gigi and Lizzie went for a walk through the surrounding neighborhood. It was low-key experiment to confirm if Lizzie was feeling real contractions or dealing with Braxton-Hicks. Sure enough, she would feel a wave of dull pain every twenty minutes or so, according to Gigi's phone. They decided it was best to head back home.

"Hey, you two," William greeted them with a warm smile as they returned. He jumped up from the couch, giving Gigi a hug and kissing Lizzie on the cheek. "You were gone a bit. How was brunch?"

"The French toast was just as delicious as I remembered," Lizzie said, pausing in her step and briefly frowning. "I'll…be right back. Bathroom calls."

Lizzie walked off, quickness in her step as she disappeared down the hall of their bedroom.

"Is she okay?" William asked, turning his head back to Gigi.

"Yep!" Gigi replied, a little too enthusiastically. "You know how small her bladder is these days." Then she pushed the container in her hands towards him. "I remembered your coffee cake."

"Thank you, Gigi," William said, taking it from her. He opened and peeked, breaking a small piece off and popping it in his mouth. He closed the box and put it in the fridge. "Did you two do anything after brunch?"

"We went for a walk around the area. It's a nice day out. A little boy dressed as Superman ran past us with his parents right behind him. He was pretty cute," Gigi replied. "What did you do?"

William leaned against the counter, crossing his arms across his chest. "Answered some pressing work emails and finally set up the cloth diaper service with Tiny Tots. They should start delivering in a week."

"Cloth diapers, huh? What about all those diapers you got at the shower?"

"We'll use them but they'll be more for our emergency stash than anything else. We've read how beneficial cloth diapers are for the environment and the baby. The more we can avoid diaper rash and limit exposure to various chemicals in those plastic diapers, the better," William explained.

Lizzie walked back into the room a few moments later. She had changed from her previous outfit into a simple short-sleeved sundress and looked a bit calmer than before.

"I like the dress," Gigi commented.

"You changed. What's up?" William asked as she walked over to him.

"So, confession time," Lizzie started. "And maybe TMI, Gigi, sorry. I just lost my mucous plug. I thought maybe I wet myself or something but it was clearly that."

William stood up straighter. "Are you okay? From what we've read, it could still be a couple weeks away if it's just that."

"Yea," Lizzie hesitated. "Unless you're also feeling mild contractions…which I am."

"That's what your back pain is, isn't it?" William said quickly as he put the pieces together. Lizzie nodded and she watched his eyes light up with a mixture of fear and glee, making him look almost boyish. His hands flew up and framed her face before leaning in and kissing her tenderly, reminding her of their early days. They were so caught up that they momentarily forgot Gigi was still there, until she cleared her throat.

"Hi," Gigi said, smiling at them when turned their attention to her. "I'm going to get going."

"Gigi…" William started.

"No, it's good. I love you two but you need to be alone and you need each other. You're about to have a baby!" Gigi continued, grabbing her things. "Besides, I have things to do! I've only been back a few days and I'm behind on errands."

"Thank you," William smiled and she waved it off. Lizzie was grateful for Gigi's timely exit since she was truly beginning to understand the enormity of the situation. She needed this time with her husband, the last time it would be just the two of them. They followed Gigi to the end of the entryway and William opened the door for her.

"You'll call me the second she gets here?" Gigi asked.

"As soon as we can," William said with a shaky breath. Gigi gave him a sympathetic look and pulled him in for a tight hug.

"The wait's finally over!" Gigi rubbed his back, knowing her brother needed her support. "And today is going to be amazing! You're going to meet your daughter and she's going to _love_ you because you're going to be the best dad! I know it's scary but it's exciting too. You guys can do this!"

"Thank you," William sighed before she pulled away.

Lizzie felt the sting of tears and smiled at Gigi when she turned to her, giving her a quick hug.

"You don't even need a pep talk. You're a rock star!" Gigi grinned at her before she began to walk backwards through the door. "I can't wait to meet my niece! I'm going to be the best aunt!, I swear!"

Lizzie slid her arm around William's waist and they both laughed a little as they watched Gigi practically skip to the elevator.

"I promise I won't tell anyone!" Gigi shouted. As the door began to close, they heard one last '"Good luck!" from her and they were officially left alone. William closed the door and turned around, focusing all his attention on her.

"So, um, we should probably let Hannah know."

"I texted her at brunch about my suspicion so she's definitely waiting for us to get in touch," Lizzie agreed, taking his hand. She led him away from the entryway and towards the living room so she could sit.

William squeezed her hand before letting go and pulling his phone from his pocket. He took a seat across from her on the edge of the coffee table and called Hannah, drumming his fingers on his thigh, waiting for her to pick up. He glanced to Lizzie and her heart began to race. The giddiness was clear on his face and she felt the same feeling begin to bubble up inside. When their doula picked up, William calmly told her situation, paused for a moment, and then put the phone on speaker. Hannah asked Lizzie a few questions and she answered them as best as she could.

"Alright, Lizzie. It does sound like you're in labor but it's still pretty early." Lizzie and William looked at each other with nervous excitement. "And your water hasn't broken? It was just the mucous plug?"

"Yea," Lizzie answered.

"Then there's no need to go to the hospital yet," Hannah determined. "William?"

"I'm here."

"You should start timing her contractions. When they're five minutes apart or she can't walk or talk through them, it's time to go. You keep me updated and I will meet you at the hospital when you two leave, okay?"

They answered in unison before asking her a few more questions. Then he ended the call and put his phone down on the table. He took a deep breath and looked at Lizzie, clearly unsure of what to say.

"So, what do you want to do now?" Lizzie asked lightly.

William laughed out of shock. "I don't even know. How are you feeling?"

"Pretty good, all things considering."

"This is not the part that I prepared for," William admitted. "I knew things would take a while but in my head, we went straight from you saying were in labor to going to the hospital."

"Definitely don't need to go yet," Lizzie shrugged. "We both need something to do."

"You're right." William clapped his hands together before rubbing them. "Okay, I'm going to check the bags."

"You haven't done that already?" Lizzie asked, clearly amused.

"We can never be too prepared."

* * *

 _1:20 pm (Contractions: 18 minutes apart)_

Lizzie's contractions were manageable so far, for the most part. She did her best to ignore them and do what needed to be done: double and triple-checking all the baby's supplies in the nursery. She spent some time going through the large amount of clothes, making sure that they were organized by size. Then she just _had_ to clean the bathroom floor so it would be spotless when they brought their daughter home. She was on her hands and knees, scrubbing the tile until it was sparkling.

"Lizzie," William sighed, leaning against the doorframe. "Are you sure you wouldn't rather be resting or something? You've been cleaning the floor for the past thirty minutes."

She sat up on her knees and looked up at him from the floor. "I'm almost done. Did you do what you needed?

"Yep. Everything's in the bags," William confirmed. "And now they're sitting in the car so we don't forget them when we go."

"Thank you," Lizzie said. She paused as she felt her stomach tightening with a passing contraction and took a deep breath. He bent down and rubbed her back out of comfort. Then he pulled his phone out of his pocket, recording it in the app he downloaded so many months ago. She could tell he was hiding his excitement in finally being able to use it.

"Any stronger?" William asked out of curiosity, his voice tinged with concern.

"Barely. I'm good," Lizzie replied confidently, assuring him that she was okay.

"You'll let me know?"

"Yes, Will," Lizzie smiled softly. "You're my coach. I'm not going to keep you in the dark when these contractions get kicked up a notch."

"Good." William kissed her forehead and brushed his thumb across her cheek. "I knew this would be a waiting game but I don't quite think I expected you to be cleaning the floor while we did."

"Doesn't it look better though?" Lizzie asked and he chuckled.

"Everything you've cleaned in the past two weeks looks better," William told her. "I feel like I'm not being as helpful as I can be."

"You're being helpful by letting me do what I want to do," Lizzie said. "How about you pick a movie? I'm nearly done here."

"I can do that," William nodded. "Do you have a preference?"

"Something light and distracting," Lizzie said as he stood back up. "You pick. I trust you."

* * *

 _3:27 pm (Contractions: 14 minutes apart)_

When Lizzie finally joined William in the living room, she saw that he had brought the exercise ball up from downstairs and had set up pillows on the couch, giving her a choice in her comfort. She gave him an appreciative look when he turned on _Hocus Pocus_ , making her realize that she had been so preoccupied with preparing for the baby that she hadn't watched any of her traditional Halloween movies. Throughout the movie, she alternated in her positions on the couch between resting her head in his lap and sitting up. Near the end of the movie, she moved to the exercise ball and rocked gently side to side while William massaged her shoulders.

"They're getting closer together," William noted as her latest one passed.

"And somewhat stronger," Lizzie admitted. William brushed his hands down and began massaging her lower back. "Yea, that's better."

"Still okay?"

"Just keep doing what you're doing when they start and they won't be that bad," Lizzie told him, looking over her shoulder at him. "I led a meeting with a burst appendix, remember? I can get through this."

"I _know_ you can get through this," William started. "But that day is not one I want to revisit. This day, however…"

"Two weeks early," Lizzie said, shaking her head. "I was mentally preparing myself that she would take her time and come after her due date."

"We're ready for her. We've been ready for her for a while," William said, his face again lighting up. Lizzie's heart fluttered. She _was_ ready and so was William. The preparation was clear on his face and his actions.

"I'm beginning to think she was just as anxious to meet us as we were to meet her," Lizzie quipped and he smiled.

"I like that theory," William exhaled before noticing the credits rolling on the television. "Do you want me to start another movie or would you like to try something else?"

"This is working quite well. I say start another movie."

* * *

 _5:41 pm (Contractions: 10 minutes apart)_

William made sure Lizzie would remember to drink water to stay hydrated and made her eat snacks loaded with carbs so her energy would stay up for when things would get more intense. She could still walk through them and assured William that it wasn't time to go yet, wanting to avoid spending more time than they needed to at the hospital. It was definitely getting closer though; she could feel her latest contraction radiating pain down her legs

"I can't concentrate," Lizzie sighed out of frustration. William paused the movie and turned his attention to her. "I feel achy."

"Do you want me to turn on something else or should we walk around for a bit?" William suggested, reaching out and taking her hand, squeezing it for comfort.

"I think I'm going to shower. Maybe the heat will help me feel better," Lizzie said, slowly getting up from the couch. She could sense William's gaze on her as she began to walk away and then she stopped, looking back at him. "Actually, would you join me?"

"Oh! Sure!" William jumped up from the couch. "I thought you'd want a little time to yourself."

"No way. My birth partner comes with me everywhere," Lizzie told him, flashing him a quick smile.

"Wherever you want me to be, I'm there."

William took control from there, having Lizzie sit on the bed to rest for a few moments. He stripped down to his boxer-briefs and then set up the shower, making sure the water was warm but not scalding hot. Then he came back and helped Lizzie undress. She was capable of doing so but she was appreciative of how gentle he was being with her, as if she were going to pop at any moment. Once he rid of himself of his last layer, he led them into the shower and Lizzie sighed as the warm water hit her. William came up behind her, bringing his hands up to her hips as the water fell around them. She was more relaxed with him so close and his hands holding onto her. Within a couple minutes of getting in the shower, she felt another contraction coming and began to tense up.

"Okay, this one's starting to hurt," Lizzie groaned. She turned around and lifted her arms, resting them on his shoulders and pressing her head against his chest.

"Breathe it out," William instructed quietly. She let the water hit her back and he brought his arms around her, comforting her until the pain began to subside. She lifted her head and looked up at him, seeing concern in his eyes. "Longest one yet."

"And strongest," Lizzie admitted and he frowned.

"Lizzie," William sighed and pressed his lips to her temple.

"Soon but not yet," Lizzie told him. "They're still far enough apart that you don't have to worry. I'm listening to my body."

"I'm ready to go whenever you are," William informed her.

"Okay," Lizzie added. "Would you wash my hair in the meantime?"

* * *

 _6:17 pm (Contractions: 9 minutes apart)_

After they finished their shower, they got dressed and prepared to go to the hospital for when Lizzie finally gave the go-ahead. Lizzie put on a simple flowing dress since she knew she'd be changing at the hospital. William opted for a blue Henley and jeans, dressing for comfort since they had no idea how long everything would take. Another contraction hit as she was braiding her hair and her hands dropped to grasp the counter. William quickly took over her braid, calming her with his voice until it passed.

"It really gives me peace of mind that you have this skill," Lizzie let out a short laugh as he finished.

"So you can leave me with our daughter and not worry that her hair will be a mess?" William played along. She checked his work in the mirror before putting the braid in a simple bun.

"I won't have to worry about anything when you're with her," Lizzie told him. "She'll be in great hands."

William smiled before bending down to kiss her softly and Lizzie sighed against his lips. After a few moments, she pulled away and gave him a reassuring look.

She walked with him to the kitchen and he began telling her something as he was getting her water. She could barely focus on what he was saying because she could feel the build-up of another contraction and it was gearing up to be a powerful one. She grabbed the counter as her stomach tightened and other muscles in her body tensed.

"Son of a…." Lizzie couldn't get a word out. William appeared by her side and supported her until it was over. It felt like minutes but it was only seconds more before her body relaxed again, looking up at William and seeing slight alarm. "That one wasn't fun at all."

William grabbed a glass of water and handed it to her. She took a few sips of water and put the water down when she felt almost normal again.

"I'm ready to go."

"You're ready to go? To the hospital?" William asked for clarification.

"Yea. I think we've spent enough time here," Lizzie said, hearing her voice quiver a bit. "That one wasn't fantastic and I figure they're only going to get worse."

"Okay. Alright," William said, his voice perking up. "Where's my phone? We need to let Dr. Gates and Hannah know."

"I'll text Hannah and you call the hospital and then we can go," Lizzie suggested, pointing out that their phones were in the living room. He rushed to the coffee table and grabbed both of them, handing over hers as he dialed the number for the labor and delivery department. As she composed the text, she felt her giddiness returned with a force. She glanced over to her husband as he spoke to someone. When he caught her gaze, she saw the sparkle in his eyes and she knew he was going through the same emotions. After he got off the phone, they did one last run-through of the apartment to make sure they were ready for everything. As they decided they were going to leave, another contraction hit her and William helped her through it. He murmured encouragement in her ear and held her until it subsided. Once she recovered, he ushered her to the door.

"Will, hold on," Lizzie reached out for his arm as he opened the door.

"Another one? So quickly?"

"No," Lizzie softly laughed. "It just hit me. Two of us are leaving now and three of us are coming back."

A beautiful smile spread across his face, he leaned in to kiss her affectionately, and her heart felt like it was expanding in her chest. "You're absolutely right."

"We're about to have a baby," Lizzie breathed, her voice full of emotion. William let go of the door and stepped towards her, bringing both hands up and framing her face.

"We're going to have a baby," William echoed, pressing his forehead to hers. He kissed her softly and pulled away, bringing his hands down and taking both of hers. "Are you ready?"

Lizzie smiled and nodded. "As I'll ever be."

* * *

 _6:59 pm (Contractions: 8 minutes apart)_

To William, driving to the hospital felt like it was taking twice as long as normal. William was more than anxious to get there already, especially with Lizzie's last few contractions. He had been keeping a close eye on her but he was also doing his best not to hover too much because he knew she was in control. It was becoming difficult to see her going through the pain and it was only going to get worse. He was simultaneously working to stay calm for Lizzie and himself.

William could see the hospital in the distance and he drummed his fingers on the steering wheel when Lizzie reached over and grabbed his thigh. William glanced over and her eyes were closed as she was starting to tense up.

"We're nearly there," William told her and she nodded. He caressed her and exaggerated his own breathing to encourage her. She opened her eyes and turned towards him, mirroring his breathing until she got through the contraction. He gave her a warm smile and squeezed her hand. "You're doing so well."

Lizzie took a deep breath. "Contractions suck."

William chuckled. "Did you think they would be easy?"

"In a perfect world," Lizzie returned. William brought his hand back to the wheel and pressed on the gas when the light turned green, getting closer to the hospital.

"Would you rather the stork drop her off at our doorstep?"

"It would certainly take less time."

"On the contrary. We'd have to wait two more weeks with the stork," William pointed out. "This way, we're getting more time."

William reached over and caressed her thigh while silently cursed the last red light, impeding him from getting across the street to the hospital. Lizzie's phone went off and she checked it as they waited.

"Hannah is waiting for us at valet parking with a wheelchair," Lizzie told him.

He followed the sign to valet parking to see a few attendants and Hannah waiting near the doors with said wheelchair. He pulled over and an attendant patiently waited as William got out of the car and hurried over to Lizzie's side.

"Hi, Hannah," Lizzie smiled as William helped her out of the car.

"Hello, you two," Hannah greeted warmly, wheeling the chair over to them.

"Apparently, this little girl decided she didn't want to—"

There was an audible pop and all three of them froze for a moment.

"What was that?" William asked. His question was answered as he realized a puddle of liquid began forming on the ground between Lizzie's legs.

"My water just broke!" Lizzie said in disbelief, grabbing her stomach with one hand and pulling her dress away from her with the other.

"Talk about timing!" William exclaimed as Lizzie looked at him with a mixture of amusement and surprise. Lizzie took a little step and there was another small gush that came from her as she grimaced.

"This is such an odd sensation," Lizzie admitted. William grabbed a towel from the back of the car and folded it, putting it on the chair seat before Hannah helped her into it.

"We'll get you changed and cleaned up when we get you to the room," Hannah said. William rushed to get their hospital bags before closing the doors and handing the keys to an attendant. He rejoined Lizzie's side and she reached up to hold onto his hand.

"I keep leaking if I move even a little bit," Lizzie mumbled and William squeezed her hand to comfort her. A few minutes later, they made it up to the labor and delivery floor and Hannah took them straight to their room.

"Alright," Hannah wheeled Lizzie into the room and William put their stuff down on the chair. "Here we are."

William returned to Lizzie and held out his hands to help her out of the chair. As soon as she stood up, more fluid started running down her legs. William took a step back, surprised by the sheer volume of it.

"This is so gross," Lizzie laughed. "It won't _stop_."

"Every woman's water breaks differently," Hannah explained, handing her the gown that was at the bottom of the bed.

"I'm going to clean myself up and change," Lizzie announced, waddling to the bathroom.

"Do you need any help?" William asked and she shook her head.

"I'm okay. I'll let you know if I do."

William spent that time settling into the room, putting away their bags and finding some slippers for Lizzie. He felt anxious as she spent more time in the bathroom, especially after he had spent most of the day watching the clock and timing her contractions. According to his timing, she would be feeling another one and he wanted to help her through it. Sure enough, he heard the faint call of his name and he walked in, finding her hunched over and gripping the counter. He maneuvered her to lean on him and he helped her breathe through the pain, running a hand along her back.

"Okay," Lizzie exhaled as she stood back up. "Maybe I could use a little help."

"That's what I'm here for."

William spent a few minutes helping Lizzie change into her gown and drying off her legs with a soft towel. It was almost pointless since fluid was still trickling but it wasn't as much as before. She held onto his arm as they emerged from the bathroom and he led her to the bed. As he was helping her into it, Dr. Gates and a nurse walked into the room. Dr. Gates stopped to wash her hands while the nurse introduced herself as Nora, telling them she would be their night shift nurse. She put hospital bracelets on their right wrists, then told them they were officially checked in, and had nothing to worry about.

"I didn't expect to see you two until tomorrow for your appointment," Dr. Gates joked as she finished up, grabbing some gloves before she walked over to the bed.

"I don't think we'll be able to make that, Dr. Gates," William played along and Lizzie laughed softly.

"I think I'll understand," Dr. Gates smiled, standing near the end of the bed. "How are we doing, Lizzie?"

"Things could be better," Lizzie said honestly. "But I've had a great coach to help me out so far."

"That's what I like to hear," Dr. Gates replied. "Alright, I need you to scoot down a bit and I'm going to see where we are. Then Nora is going to take care of you."

William and Hannah helped Lizzie get into position and Dr. Gates pulled up a stool to the end of the bed. She spent a little time examining Lizzie and William held her hand, brushing his thumb across her wrist.

"Okay," Dr. Gates finished, readjusting the bed sheet before removing her gloves and throwing them away. "You're dilated to five and a half centimeters and you're seventy percent effaced. You still have some time but you're getting there."

"Over halfway already," William murmured softly, kissing her temple. She looked at him with a hopeful expression before getting her back into a more comfortable position. Dr. Gates told them she'd check back on them later and left them with the nurse.

"Alright. Let's get you on the monitor, shall we?"

* * *

 _7:55 pm (Contractions: 7 minutes apart. Dilated: 5.5 cm)_

After twenty minutes of wearing a belt around her belly, Lizzie was thankful for the wireless monitoring the hospital provided. Having something wrapped around her belly while she had a contraction was irritating and uncomfortable. Once the nurse removed it, she was free to move around without the worry of being tangled up in wires. Hannah encouraged her to walk to help her dilate so she and William were slowly going through the department, making their way to the courtyard. She looped her arm around his for support and he kept her relaxed and distracted by telling her silly jokes, which made her laugh more from how stupid they were than anything else. When she'd feel a contraction coming on, she'd stop and lean into him while he whispered words of encouragement in her ear and held her. After the last one, she stayed where she was for a few moments longer. It was then that she heard the vibration of one of their phones, one in each of William's back pockets.

"You're buzzing," Lizzie pointed out.

"It would appear that I am," William chuckled, grabbing for the phone in question. "It looks like yours…and it's Fitz."

"Did Gigi tell him?" Lizzie asked, irritation in her voice.

"No. He's grocery shopping and wants to know what your current favorites are."

"What for? Oh crap," Lizzie cringed. "The party."

"Right," William mirrored her expression as he read the texts out loud. "He's asking why you're not answering…and he's about to call."

"Then just pick it up."

Sure enough, her phone started vibrating and William answered it, immediately putting it on speaker.

"Lizzie D! You're hurting my feelings by not replying!" Fitz exclaimed over the phone. Lizzie couldn't help but chuckle.

"Sorry. We've been a little busy."

"Same here. Now that your man is working from home, I'm jumping from meeting to meeting."

"Thank you for that, Fitz," William piped up.

"Am I on speaker?"

"Yep," Lizzie replied softly as she rested her head on William's chest.

"So, I need to know what your biggest cravings are right now so I can be properly stocked."

"About that," William started. "I don't think we'll be able to make it to the party after all."

"What? No! Come on, guys. I bought a 'reserved' sign for your favorite chair and everything," Fitz whined. "You better have a great excuse!"

William put mute on so Fitz wouldn't be able to hear anything and then looked to Lizzie.

"What do you want to tell him?" William asked her.

"We could tell him the truth," Lizzie suggested. "Do you think he can keep it to himself?"

"When it's necessary, he'll do anything for his friends," William said confidently.

"We'll swear him to secrecy," Lizzie said and he nodded.

"Hellooooo," Fitz drew out. "You muted me, didn't you? Making up an excuse on the spot? You know that I'm literally standing in the middle of the snack aisle right now? This old lady just gave me the evil eye."

William chuckled and unmuted Fitz. "Sorry about that."

"What is so pressing that you're not coming? Especially when I know you have costumes."

"We can't go because…" William paused for effect and Lizzie nudged him. He smirked and held out for a moment longer.

"I am not amused, dude." Fitz said flatly.

"Lizzie's in labor."

There were a couple moments of silence on Fitz's end and Lizzie thought they lost the connection for a moment.

" _What_?! Congratulations!" Fitz shouted. "But it's not her due date yet. The baby's coming early!"

"She's impatient," Lizzie said edgily as a dull contraction passed. Fitz continued to ramble on while William supported her and she was thankful for how quickly it passed.

"Fitz, listen," William said, getting control back. "We're not telling anybody yet. We're waiting until after she's born. We need you to promise you won't tell a soul. Not even Brandon."

"Absolutely, man. I promise. You must be thrilled!" Fitz replied.

"We both are. I'm going to have to cut this conversation short though. Lizzie needs me," William said. "We're sorry we can't make it on Saturday."

"I totally understand," Fitz said before quickly adding. "And Lizzie?"

"I'm here."

"You're one of the strongest people I know. You're a bad-ass lady and you're about to become a bad-ass mom," Fitz exclaimed. "If anyone can get through this, it's you. You got this! I love you and I'm proud of you. Good luck, you two."

"Thank you, Fitz," Lizzie exhaled before William hung up, slipping her phone back in his pocket. "Fitz is good people."

"He is," William smiled, leaning in and kissing her forehead. "You up for more walking?"

"Anything that will help me get through this quicker."

* * *

 _10:48 pm (Contractions: 4 minutes apart. Dilated: 6 cm)_

In nearly three hours, Lizzie had only dilated half a centimeter more. Time began to drag on as her contractions got closer together. She found that the most comfortable position throughout each one was sitting on the birthing ball and stretching her arms across the bed. William sat right behind her and massaged her back to get her through them. Hannah stayed in her eye-line, having her breathe with her and running her hands down her arms to get rid of the tension. William was murmuring words of love and encouragement and doing his best to keep her mind off the pain.

"You're doing great, Lizzie," Hannah commended her as she sat back up. William handed her some ice chips and she smiled, silently thanking him for making sure she stayed hydrated throughout.

"That one really hurt," Lizzie said with a small voice.

"I'd like you to try something with the next one, William. I want you to hold her and kiss her," Hannah said. She went on to explain that it would reduce Lizzie's anxiety and increase the oxytocin in her body. She was open to any plan and had avoided pain medication so far but she wasn't sure how much longer she'd be able to hold out with how strong and lengthy her contractions were becoming. She maneuvered herself on the ball to face William and she was met with a smile.

"Hi," he said warmly.

"Hi," Lizzie breathed. "Is this the point where I'm supposed to tell you I hate you and blame you for putting me in this situation?"

William chuckled, pulling his chair closer to her. "I sincerely hope not."

"Good," Lizzie said, resting her arms on his shoulders. "Even with this pain, I can't bring myself to."

"I'm relieved to hear that," William said softly and she managed to crack a smile. He leaned in close and gave her a gentle kiss before murmuring, "I love you."

"Love you too," Lizzie whispered. She dug her fingers into his shoulders and winced as she felt the beginnings of another contraction. He held her close and pressed light kisses to her lips, cheeks, and temple. It was intimate and effective. Things around her blurred as she focused solely on William. When the pain finally ebbed, she rested her head on his shoulder and he rubbed her back.

"I am so proud of you, love," William whispered near her ear. "You're doing so well."

"I don't feel like I am," Lizzie muttered.

"You really are, Lizzie," Hannah appeared by her side. She rubbed a cool cloth across her neck and Lizzie sighed from the feeling of it. "One of the calmest laboring mothers I've had in a while."

"Should I be screaming and shouting obscenities?" Lizzie asking jokingly, lifting her head up. "Because I don't have the energy right now."

"Whatever makes you feel better," Hannah said with a smile. "But a calmer environment generally makes for a better labor."

Lizzie closed her eyes for a few moments. "That's what I keep telling myself."

* * *

 _11:39 pm (Contractions: 3 minutes apart)_

Despite the wonderful support that William and Hannah had been giving her, the number of laps she had done down the halls and in the courtyard, and the different positions she tried out to help ease the intense contractions, there was only so much Lizzie could handle.

Her latest contraction was the worst one yet, lasted nearly a full minute. She leaned into her husband as he held her up, trying to keep her focused on her breathing and his embrace. When everything finally subsided, she began to feel a little weak in the knees and William helped her to the bed. Then he broke off a piece of an energy bar that she had been working on for the past couple hours, waiting with a cup of ice chips when she finished it.

"Any better?" he asked, sounding all too worried. She looked up to him with shining eyes and subtly shook her head. His face fell and he looked to Hannah, unsure of what to do. He had been trying so hard since this morning to make her feel better but his kisses, caresses, and loving words could only do so much at this point when the pain was so intense. The defeated look on his face sealed her decision, right there and then.

"I want the epidural," Lizzie announced. "And pain medication. I just need _something_. Anything."

Lizzie swore she heard William mutter 'thank god' under his breath but she said nothing about it. He reached out for the tablet at her bedside and press the button to call the nurse. He was obviously just as anxious to get her relief as she was. Maybe it was the prospect of pain meds but she swore the next contraction wasn't as excruciating. It took approximately two contractions until Nora could make it to their room. William and Hannah talked to the nurse about setting up the epidural and she took a few minutes to check on Lizzie.

"Don't you worry, hun," Nora assured Lizzie, checking her blood pressure and the stats on the tocodynamometer. "I'm impressed with how long you've held out without anything. You've had some really strong ones."

"You're telling me," Lizzie mumbled while William rubbed her back.

"Baby's heartrate is looking good," Nora said, finishing up. She told them she would inform Dr. Gates and get the anesthesiologist on call to get everything set up. Lizzie found just enough energy to thank her before she left the room.

William bent down and kissed her temple, resting his forehead against hers for a moment.

"Relief is almost here, love. Not much longer."

* * *

 _Friday, October 26th_

 _12:02 am (Contractions: 3 minutes apart. Dilated: 6.5 cm)_

Within twenty minutes, Dr. Gates came in and was followed by a young gentleman, his name tag reading 'Dr. Andrews' with 'Anesthesiologist' underneath. Just the sight of him lifted some weight of William's shoulders because he knew the man was going to be responsible for easing Lizzie pain. Dr. Gates talked with them for a moment and then Dr. Andrews explained the whole process. They had Lizzie sign some papers while he set things up, and Dr. Gates checked on Lizzie's progress.

"Six and a half centimeters and ninety percent effaced," Dr. Gates told them. "I know it's taking a while but I'm hoping you'll get some sleep with this epidural. Your body needs some rest and I believe it will help you out. I'm also going to give you some pain medication."

"Sounds wonderful," Lizzie breathed and Dr. Gates flashed a quick smile.

"Okay, Lizzie," Dr. Andrews began. "I need you to sit up for me."

William helped Lizzie up and to the edge of the bed before the doctor opened the back of her gown. He cleaned and prepared an area on her back while William gave Lizzie a pillow for some support.

"Are we ready?" Dr. Andrews asked and they both nodded. He went on to explain to Lizzie to put her chin down to her chest, and slouch forward so her spine was curved. "And I need you to be very still."

William held onto her, stroking her arms as she controlled her breaths. He watched Dr. Andrews as he went through the process. He saw the size and length of the needle, clenching his jaw at the realization Lizzie would be stuck with that. Murmuring soothing words to her, he heard her whimper slightly when the needle went in but stayed still. When the doctor finally finished up and cleared things up, leaving with Dr. Gates. William and another nurse helped Lizzie lie down. He took a seat and held her hand while Nora put in a catheter.

They were told it would take at between ten and thirty minutes for the epidural to take effect though William sincerely hoped it would be closer to ten. While they waited, she was hooked up to an IV for fluids and Nora said she'd be back soon with her pain medication. This wait was almost as bad as waiting for Lizzie to finally tell him she was ready to go. He was desperate for his wife to get some rest and relief

"It's starting to work," Lizzie told him, after exactly twenty minutes had passed. His eyes kept drifting between her and his watch, counting down the minutes until she wasn't going through so much pain.

"Yeah? Any better?" William asked, bringing a hand up and stroking her cheek with his thumb.

"Oh yeah. It's almost heavenly," Lizzie admitted and he smiled. Nora came in a few minutes later with pain medication, pushing it into her IV. William thanked her before she left and then turned to Lizzie, whose eyes were already beginning to droop.

"Lizzie, you should be able to get some sleep now. Rest your body before you need to start pushing," Hannah said. She got up and pulled the curtains closed before dimming the lights and closing the door.

"Will too," Lizzie said in a small voice, clearly fading fast.

"I'm okay," William whispered. "You get your energy up. We'll be meeting our daughter in no time."

Lizzie's lips twitched up before she closed her eyes. William put a cool cloth over her eyes to help her further. William sat back in his seat and exhaled. It was a busy day and one of the longest of his life. He could barely believe the difference in how it started to how it was ending.

"William, you need to get some sleep too. If you're exhausted when she needs you the most, it's going to make things difficult," Hannah said quietly.

"I don't know how I could even try to sleep right now," William admitted.

"And that's why I'm here. I'm your backup for when you need to tap out," Hannah assured him. "I promise you. I'll wake you up when you're needed."

William sighed and rubbed his hands down his face, suddenly feeling the enormity of the day weighing on his shoulders. He watched Lizzie for a few minutes before looking at the time, which was dangerously approaching one am. It was as good a time as any to try and get a little sleep. He stood up from the chair and quickly converted the couch near Lizzie's bed into a sleeper, grabbing an extra pillow and blanket from the cabinet. He toed off his shoes to be a little more comfortable. Before he laid down, he looked straight at Hannah.

"As soon as something happens, you wake me. If she asks for me, wakes up, anything…" William trailed off.

"You will be the first to know."

* * *

 _4:58 am (Contractions: continuous, masked by epidural)_

William jolted awake, sitting up immediately. It took him a moment for him to remember that he and Lizzie were in the hospital. He ran a hand through his unkempt hair and looked around, his eyes squinting until they adjusted to the light. Then he slipped his shoes back on and turned the sleeper back to its original sitting position. Just as he began to wonder where Hannah was, she walked in with a couple containers and two cups. She mouthed 'hello' before sitting down next to him and putting everything down.

"How is she?" William asked, keeping his voice low.

"She's only stirred a couple times but hasn't woken up. The nurse tried to come in here and wake her up around three but I wasn't going to let that happen. Dr. Gates should be coming in to check on her in a few minutes so really, you woke up at a good time."

"Thank you."

"It's what I do, William," Hannah reassured. "How did you sleep?"

"I've had better nights," William said honestly.

Hannah handed him a cup with a sleeve on it. "Some tea for you."

William took a sip and hot liquid warmed his scratchy throat. Then he opened the container to find some assorted fruit, steaming scrambled eggs, and a bagel with a side of cream cheese to spread.

"I ordered us both a little something so eat while you can," Hannah instructed, handing him utensils.

"Thanks," William said before digging in. He should have been surprised at how fresh everything tasted but he remembered that the place was award winning. It was exactly what he needed to feel recharged for Lizzie. He finished up the last of his food and cleaned up, throwing everything away before washing his hands. There was a gentle knock on the door as he finished up and he opened it to let in Dr. Gates.

"Good morning," Dr. Gates greeted gently. "How's our mother-to-be?"

"She's still resting," William glanced back at his wife. "I can wake her up for you."

"That would be great. I'd like to check her progress."

William went over to Lizzie, removing the cloth that covered her eyes and brushing his hand across her cheek. He repeated her name softly until she stirred, her eyes unfocused as she looked up at him.

"Hello there," William said warmly and he saw the beginnings of a smile. "Dr. Gates is here. She wants to see your progress."

"Mmmkay," Lizzie nodded. He and Hannah helped her onto her back and into position for Dr. Gates to check on her. William held her hand and stroked her wrist while Dr. Gates examined her.

"Looks like getting some sleep really helped," Dr. Gates stated. "You're one hundred percent effaced and nine and a half centimeters dilated. Only half a centimeter to go."

"So close," Lizzie said happily.

"You are," Dr. Gates stood up, removing her gloves. "I'm going to come back within the hour. I have a feeling you'll be ready by then."

"Thank you," William said before she left. He turned to Lizzie and he could see the spark of excitement in her eyes. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I want to kiss the person who created epidurals," Lizzie replied and he chuckled, leaning down to kiss her.

"I'm very thankful that you're not feeling pain right now," William said.

"You and me both," Lizzie sighed. She reached up and ran a hand through his hair, making it a little less disheveled.

"Do I look better now?"

"Much better than me," Lizzie joked.

"Impossible, love," William said warmly, bending down to kiss her. "You're always beautiful."

* * *

 _5:51 am (Contractions: continuous. Fully dilated)_

William and Lizzie tried to pass the time by flipping through channels on the flat-screen on the wall. They had yet to take advantage of it but they had been rather pre-occupied since they arrived. William was caressing her arm and keeping a close eye on her. He noticed she began fidgeting in the last couple minutes and he was about to say something when she spoke up.

"Hannah?" Lizzie said to get her attention and she looked over to her. "I haven't been feeling anything with the epidural but…I'm feeling pressure. Kind of like, um—"

"Like you have the urge to push?" Hannah finished.

"Actually, yeah," Lizzie nodded. William sat up straighter and Hannah stood up.

"I'll get Dr. Gates," Hannah offered, stepping out of the room.

It was as if somebody hit the fast-forward button from there and William was doing his best to stay caught up. Dr. Gates returned with Hannah and they were introduced to the morning shift nurse, Judith. Dr. Gates checked Lizzie and confirmed that she was ten centimeters. He and Hannah helped Lizzie into position while Dr. Gates washed up and Judith prepped. There was a brief moment between him and Lizzie as they waited and they exchanged nervous but eager looks. Dr. Gates joined them once more, situating herself at the bottom of the bed.

"I can do this," Lizzie whispered to herself but William still caught it. He looked at her with a warm expression and smiled.

"You can," William murmured, kissing her temple. "She'll be here in no time."

"Okay, Lizzie. We're going to do this together. When I tell you, I want you to push. William, I want you to count her through each one," Dr. Gates explained and the two of them nodded.

"Will…" Lizzie said urgently.

"My eyes are on you the whole time," William promised, turning to be right in her eye-line. He hooked his arm underneath one leg while Hannah did the same to her other leg, holding them up and supporting her.

"Okay, on my word, you're going to start pushing," Dr. Gates said, watching the monitor. "Ready? And push."

Lizzie bared down and held her breath while William counted down from ten. At the end of the countdown, Lizzie exhaled, slowly and evenly. It was only seconds before she was told to push again and they repeated the process. Lizzie worked hard for the next twenty-five minutes before Dr. Gates told to her rest for a minute. She rested her head on the pillow and tried to catch her breath.

"You're doing _so_ well, Lizzie," William said tenderly, wiping the sweat from her face. Her eyes began to well up with tears but she kept them at bay and smiled at him. He pressed his forehead to hers and whispered how proud he was of her and how much he loved her. Then he repeated what Fitz told her hours before and she laughed in surprise. She turned her head slightly and brought a hand up to his cheek before they shared a quick kiss.

"Lizzie? Ready to try again?" Dr. Gates asked.

Lizzie nodded. "Let's get this little girl out already."

"That's the spirit," Dr. Gates said. "When I say…"

The atmosphere in the room seemed to change almost immediately. Everybody got a second wind and the anticipation steadily rose with each minute that Lizzie pushed. Hannah took over the counting and William kept close to his wife, constantly whispering words of encouragement to get her through it. He had underestimated the intensity of the labor. There was no way he could put what he was feeling into words but they became overwhelming when he heard the doctor's next words.

"I can see the head. Lots of hair!" Dr. Gates announced, telling Lizzie to push carefully so she could avoid any tearing. Lizzie let out a happy cry and tears began to slip down her cheeks. Things became blurry for William as he began to well up with tears. "You're crowning! Just a little longer."

"Nearly here, Lizzie. She's nearly here, love," William repeated quietly in disbelief as Lizzie rested her head against his forehead, clearly exhausted. A few more words of reassurance and Dr. Gates told them her head was out, before instructing Lizzie to push more gently.

"Hardest part's over. You can do this," William said, caressing her cheek. She looked at him and there was a mixture of love and gratitude at his coaching before determination washed over her. She took a deep breath and bared down, pushing one last time. He was overcome with immense pride for his wife and it was a moment that he would remember for a long time. It was then followed by one of the greatest moments of his life.

The sound of his daughter's newborn cry pierced the air and it was if time stood still for a split second. He began to cry tears of joy when Dr. Gates lifted her up and he got his first look at his child. She happily confirmed that the baby was a girl and it was finally reality to him. She was here and she was the most breathtaking sight he had ever seen. He vaguely registered hearing the nurse, Judith proclaiming that the official time of birth was 6:47 am.

"Look at her, Elizabeth. She's _beautiful_ ," William said in awe. She was just barely cleaned off and immediately placed on Lizzie's chest. She looked up at him and smiled through her tears.

"She's gorgeous, Will. I can't believe we did it," Lizzie cried.

"You did it, love. You were amazing," William said in admiration, resting his cheek against her head as he stared at his daughter. She continued her newborn cries and Lizzie held her close, caressing her tiny back and comforting her the best way she knew how.

"Hi there. I know. I know. Great big world. It's scary. I'm right here, baby. Your mommy's here," Lizzie said softly. She kissed the top of their baby's head, which was covered in chocolate brown wisps of hair.

William was in wonderment of the whole scene before him, watching as his wife soothed their daughter until she stopped crying. Her tiny gray eyes wandered around until they landed on him and he felt his heart was surely going to burst from how happy he was. He reached out and ran a finger along her arm to feel how soft her skin was.

"She's so little," William said in wonder, exhaling.

"Dad? Are we ready to finally cut the cord, Dad?"

It took William far too long to register that it was _him_ they were talking to and Lizzie snickered. They had been in their own world for the past five minutes that he had nearly forgotten where they were.

"Oh!" William stood up. He was grateful that Dr. Gates respected their wishes to delay cord clamping so the baby would benefit from all the nutrients the cord provided. They both felt it was crucial for Lizzie to have those first minutes so she could bond with the baby. Dr. Gates handed him medical scissors and showed him exactly where to cut, surprised to discover how tough it was. Still, he was more than happy to have the honor of doing it.

"Let's get baby cleaned up and Mom taken care of. She's not quite done," Judith said, coming by and picking the baby up from Lizzie's chest. Almost immediately, the baby began to cry again and William's heart clenched.

"Will," Lizzie said, patting his arm. "Go with her."

"You sure?" William asked and she nodded, smiling at him in appreciation. He bent down and kissed her forehead. "Alright, I will."

He followed Judith over to the baby station, and another nurse passed him by to help out with Lizzie. Judith began cleaning up his daughter and clipping the umbilical cord. The baby was crying and all he wanted to do was hold her in his arms to make her feel better.

"We'll weigh her," Judith explained to him, placing her on the scale. They waited a moment until the numbers stopped. "6 pounds, 4 ounces."

"You're a little one, aren't you?" William murmured before she was measured.

"Eighteen point five inches long," Judith announced.

"She really does take after you, Lizzie," William said over his shoulder to her. He heard her laugh in reply and it made him chuckle. He turned his attention back to his daughter as Judith began her examination. She tested her reflexes, took her pulse, checked the palette of her mouth, and the crevices of her fingers and toes. She explained everything she was doing it as she was doing it, all while his daughter cried intermittently.

"It's okay, baby girl," William began, his voice soft and husky. He bent down to get close to her but stayed out of Judith's way as she continued her exam. "Daddy's here. I'm right here for you."

"You'll get her back soon," Judith promised. "She's looking good. Just need to do the eye ointment, the vitamin K shot for clotting, and the hepatitis B vaccine. Then you'll get her back."

"So she'll be really mad once you're done."

"Pretty much." Judith laid the kit on the table and carefully put drops in each eye before wiping away excess liquid. William reached out and caressed her tiny hand as she fussed a bit. He saw the needles for both shots and grimaced, hating that she had to feel that sting minutes after she was born but knowing that she needed them. Judith was gentle as she administered the shots, massaging the areas once she gave them. It was a relief to see his baby being handled with so much care. She wiped her down once more and then looked to William. "Ready to put on the first diaper?"

Even though he had taken classes and practiced, he appreciated when she talked him through it. He had to admit his wiggly daughter was clearly different than a stiff doll. When he finished up, Judith checked his work and he passed with flying colors. She put on a medical bracelet on her ankle and wrist. She demonstrated how to swaddle her before undoing it and having him try. He was able to do it on the first try and his daughter's fussy cries subsided when Judith put a little white cap on her head.

"She's all yours, Dad. Support the head and you'll be fine," Judith instructed before stepping out. He exhaled nervously as he picked her up, cradling her head with one hand. It hit him like a ton of bricks. He was officially a father and he almost felt the urge to cry with happiness again. When he turned around, Lizzie had been taken care of, changed into a new gown, and transferred into a new bed. She looked exhausted as she was talking to Hannah but when she looked at him, her eyes sparkled at the sight of him holding their daughter.

"Hey," Lizzie hummed as she shuffled over to her, sitting on the edge of the bed. Hannah stepped away to give them some time alone.

"Hey yourself," William said. "She made it through her first exam with flying colors. How about you?"

"I lucked out. No tearing. I'll have an easier recovery," Lizzie told him, pushing herself up on the bed a little.

"You were remarkable," William said, his voice full of reverence. He glanced down to his daughter and saw her sticking out her tongue, as if she was looking around for something. "I think your daughter may need you."

Judith appeared by them to help them out, transferring their daughter from William's arms to Lizzie's

"Looks like your daughter's hungry," Judith explained. "Ready to try breastfeeding?"

* * *

 _7:56 am_

Lizzie was sore and beyond exhausted and her legs were still somewhat numb from her epidural. Breastfeeding for the first time had not gone well. Judith and Hannah both assured her that it would take a little time to get a handle on it and they would try again later. Despite the pain that she went through and the tears that she spilled, Lizzie was living one of the happiest days of her life. It was the day of her daughter's birth. Her _daughter_. She was officially a mother and William was officially a father and they were a family of three.

With the painkillers and the epidural, she had to admit that the moments leading up to the birth were a bit of a blur. Two things would stand out when she'd look back on it years later: the sheer strength that William gave her through his words and the moment she first held her daughter. All she wanted to do hold her and protect her for the rest of her life. She felt a love that she didn't even know she was capable of blooming within her chest. When she saw William holding their daughter for the first time, she saw the exact same love in his eyes.

They had yet to announce to friends and family that their baby had arrived, even though she figured Gigi and Fitz were chomping at the bit to hear something. She had to commend them for giving them their space and not texting or calling for information. She and William planned to wait until they officially picked a name and got enough rest, which she seriously needed. Except she couldn't seem to get enough of her hour-old daughter in her arms. She was memorizing every part of her face and her tiny hands and her little feet. She was having a hard time processing that they had been waiting for months to meet her and now she was here. The wait was finally over and she had a lifetime to love her daughter and watch her grow.

"She'll be here when you wake up, Lizzie," William promised. Her vision was getting bleary the longer she held her and she could feet the weight of fatigue getting heavier. She hated and loved that William could so easily figure it out.

"But I'll miss things," Lizzie said weakly, bringing her gaze to her husband.

"All you'll miss is her sleeping," William pointed out. He was right. She had fallen asleep a few minutes ago and was bound to sleep for a while. "You need rest after what your body has been through."

"Does that mean you will too?"

"I'm not the one who spent over twenty hours in labor," William carefully took their daughter out of her arms. "And I'm too wired. Get some sleep, Lizzie. You know you'll feel better."

"Once I get full feeling back in my legs and can take a shower, I'll feel much better," Lizzie sighed.

"A couple hours of sleep will help," William said.

"I hope you're right," Lizzie mumbled, resting her head on the pillow. She watched him as he walked over to the plush rocking chair in the corner and sat down. "Our little girl needs a name."

"She does," William agreed. "We'll pick it when you wake up."

* * *

 _8:02 am_

William had put his daughter down in the rolling bassinet shortly after Lizzie fell asleep. He was keeping a close eye on both of them, finding himself breaking into a smile every time the baby squirmed or she emitted a little squeak. He was completely enamored. He had fallen in love with her at first sight. It was obvious that she was her mother's daughter. Lizzie had affected him so greatly the first time he saw her. He didn't think he would be lucky enough to experience that feeling twice and yet, there she was. This tiny human being was completely upending his entire existence.

Judith gently knocked on the door and he tore his gaze away from his daughter when she walked in.

"Just doing a quick check-in," she said, keeping her voice quiet.

"They're both sleeping," William replied, even though it was obvious.

"Why don't you hold the baby while she sleeps?" Judith suggested. "Skin-to-skin will help her regulate her body temperature, especially since Mom is asleep."

William jumped at the chance to try it out and she fetched a blanket while he got himself ready, removing his Henley and getting comfortable on the plush chair. Judith carefully removed the blanket that swaddled their daughter and placed her on his chest before draping a blanket over both of them, without ever waking her.

"Thank you."

She walked over to the chart on the wall labeled 'Your journey home,' quickly filling out some of it out. She wrote the date, William and Lizzie's name under 'father' and 'mother,' and left 'baby's name' blank. She wrote hers in the health care team section next to RN and 'Whitney' under nurse manager. There were couple other notes on the chart, including the mention of Hannah as their doula, and the newborn examination and immunization boxes were checked. There were more boxes unchecked than checked. "Have we picked a name?"

"Not yet," William shook his head.

"Let me know when you do," Judith said before leaving him alone.

Their daughter was on the smaller side of average but she seemed even smaller against his chest and in his arms. He felt calm and content with her in his arms. He pressed a kiss to her head and sighed happily when he took a quick whiff. He was already addicted to her sweet smell. It was something that Bing had told him to look forward to and he wasn't disappointed.

He sat there for a long time, not wanting to move for fear he'd wake her. She let out a hitched breath and a squeak and he watched tiny wrinkles appear on her forehead. He brushed his thumb across them for a few moments and she began to relax again.

"Are you having dreams, sweetheart?" William murmured, caressing her back. "It'll be okay. Daddy's here for you. You're safe with me."

His own words made an impact. As if he wasn't already overwhelmed in the past twenty-four hours by watching the love of his life go through so much pain and give birth and finally see his daughter. He was responsible for this little girl. He had to protect her and be there for her at a moment's notice. Being a father in theory and putting it to practice was already vastly different. Everything he knew about fatherhood from raising Gigi seemed to fly out the window. How he and Lizzie raised her would shape her entire future. She was completely redefining his purpose and he welcomed it. Lizzie had become his life the moment she told she loved him back. Now, his daughter was also part of that. He would sacrifice anything to make her happy. He wanted to be the best father he could be for her and silently vowed to her that he would be.

William sighed and pressed his lips to the top of her head, closing his eyes and lingering.

"I love you so much," William whispered. "And I always will."

* * *

 _10:35 am_

"…your mommy didn't like what I had to say at all. Of course, I was clueless and should have seen how mad she was when I arrive. It was all okay though. I learned from what she told me and changed for the better. Little did I know but I would see your mommy again a couple months later. I didn't think I had a chance at all but your aunt Gigi sure did. She was determined to get your mommy and me together…"

Lizzie slowly woke from her nap and the sound of William's voice hit her ears. As she focused, she spotted him in the plush chair holding their daughter in his arms. She lay there for a moment and soaked in the sight before her. As he spoke to her, he was as radiant as the day they were married. Then his words registered and she almost didn't want to interrupt him.

"Every time I saw your mommy walking through the halls, my heart would start racing. I was hopeless. No matter how hard I tried to not have feelings for her, the more I fell in love with her. You're very lucky to have her as a mommy, sweetheart."

"She's lucky to have you as a daddy," Lizzie spoke up. He whipped his head up in surprise and smiled widely when he saw that she was awake. "Are you telling her how we met?"

"I am," William said, returning his attention back to their daughter. "She woke up a little while ago but I didn't want her to wake you so I started talking to her. I wanted to tell her a good story. I think she recognized my voice because she's been staring at me the whole time."

"She got that from you," Lizzie teased.

William grinned. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I just gave birth to a six pound, four ounce baby," Lizzie replied and he sighed, staring at her. "Better. Still sore, tired, and would love to shower, but better. At least I can feel my toes. They're tingly but I can feel them."

"You should ask Judith to help you with the shower."

"I will," Lizzie said before gesturing to their girl. "How is she doing?"

"She's doing great." William stood up and joining her on the edge of the bed as she pulled herself up. "I've been studying her face to figure out who she looks like. She's a good mixture of both of us. She has your skin color and your lips."

"She has your nose," Lizzie said softly as he put their daughter in her arms. "I've always liked the slight crookedness of your nose. On her, it's downright adorable."

"She does, you're right." William put an arm around Lizzie's shoulder. "She has a dimple like me."

"Really?" Lizzie's eyebrows went in surprise. "I was secretly hoping she'd inherit your dimples. One is better than none."

"Yea. Her right cheek. I noticed it when she yawned," William said. "Which, I must say, is very cute."

"She's the cutest baby ever," Lizzie murmured.

"That's a given," William smiled as their daughter stretched a hand out and rested it on her cheek. "It's not like we're biased or anything though."

"Not at all." Lizzie brushed her fingers across a few wisps of hair that stuck out under the cap. "Such soft hair."

"I love the color. Not quite me or you. It's in between," William noted. "And her eyes. I know they'll change over the months but…"

"They're so pretty. Steel gray with hints of blue. They'll probably be your shade in no time," Lizzie finished, leaning into him. "She's perfect, Will. I can't believe she's finally here."

"You remember when you said we would be the happiest couple in the world?" William asked her and she nodded. "I think we can amend it."

"To?"

"The happiest family in the world."

Lizzie brightened. "I like it."

William exhaled, his lips twitching up. "Now, we need to give this adorable little girl a name already. Especially since we're going to have to tell our family and friends she's here soon."

"Can't we keep her all to ourselves?" Lizzie whined.

"I _wish_. If Gigi and Fitz weren't aware you went into labor, we could have bought ourselves until tomorrow night, at least," William said. "Don't worry. I'll intercept all the calls when we break the news."

"Including the thirty from my mom?"

"Every single one of them," William promised, chuckling a little before kissing the top of her head. "We'll tell everybody that you and baby are doing very well and getting some much-needed rest. They'll have to go through me for all questions."

"Thank you." Lizzie smiled. "People are going to want to visit us, though."

"Not today," William said adamantly. "You literally gave birth less than four hours ago. We're still adjusting to her and getting to know her. We have a hearing test later, Judith said there would be blood tests for both of you, and you wanted to talk to the lactation consultant. Today is solely reserved for the three of us."

"Once again, you show me why I love you so much," Lizzie murmured, leaning in and kissing him softly.

"I have to take care of my girls," William said, his voice full of reverence as he looked down at their daughter. He reached over and brushed a finger along her cheek and they watched as she squirmed a bit. "Alright, we need to name her. We keep getting distracted."

"She's very distracting," Lizzie said. "So, I've been trying to narrow things down from our five contenders for forever."

"Me too."

"I was having so much trouble," Lizzie admitted. "But now that I see her and am holding her in my arms, only one of them really suits her. It's been my favorite for a while but I just didn't tell you."

"Really? I have a feeling that your favorite is my favorite," William said. "She needs a strong name to go with her middle and last."

"She does."

"So, what are we going to name her?"

* * *

 _Mass text/email sent to all family and closest friends_

 _~photo attached~_

Born October 26, 2018 at 6:54 AM

Weighs 6 pounds, 4 ounces

18.5 inches long

William and Lizzie Darcy welcome

Eleanor Anne Darcy


	19. The First Days

_Summary: Lizzie and William adjust to life with a newborn and the family meets the newest Darcy._

* * *

 _Note:_ _It's been a while but I'm so glad you enjoyed the last chapter! While nothing was posted in February because my body failed me, I tried to get everything done and posted as close to the month as possible. I hope you enjoy this one!_

* * *

 _Saturday, October 27th_

When Lizzie had thought ahead to the weekend, the most excitement she expected was Fitz and Brandon's Halloween party. Since Eleanor decided to make her debut two weeks early, their plans were drastically altered. With her daughter in her arms and William sitting by her side, she couldn't have been happier about canceling.

Friday moved by in a blur once Eleanor was born and she was very grateful that William had instituted a no-visitors policy until today. He was adamant about her resting and getting that crucial bonding time whenever a nurse wasn't in their room. There were the good moments where Eleanor passed her hearing test and had an ultrasound, showing that she had no heart defects and double-checked that her kidneys were fine. Then there were the not-so-good moments. Her body hurt, making it hard to find a comfortable sitting position, and she still struggled with breastfeeding, even after a visit from the lactation consultant. The biggest problem seemed to be with latching but Lizzie was determined to figure it out.

It took her a while to convince William to go home for the night to get some sleep. She knew too well that he had barely gotten any while she was in labor and hadn't napped at all throughout the day. He argued that he could sleep on the fold-out sleeper and stay with them. She won the argument by telling him he'd be more refreshed to take care of her and Eleanor if he got a proper night's rest at home. Once he did leave, he kissed his daughter on the forehead and reluctantly handed her to Lizzie, before he promised to be back bright and early.

Lizzie almost expected William to return to the hospital as soon as the sun was up, considering how long it took him to leave last night. She was pleasantly surprised when he strolled in just before nine, looking refreshed and very happy to see her and their baby.

"Good morning," Lizzie greeted, pulling herself up to a sitting position and wincing a bit. After an early morning feeding that was mostly painful for Lizzie, Eleanor was sleeping. Lizzie spent the time resting and watching her daughter. She quickly discovered how difficult it was to take her eyes off her, even when she was doing something as simple as sleeping.

"Good morning to you," William said warmly, bending down and kissing her. "How are you two doing?"

"Pretty good. She only woke up twice last night but she's still having trouble latching," Lizzie told him as he checked on their daughter. "Betty said she would stop by after breakfast to show me another trick."

"I'm sorry it's still hard. I know you'll get it," William assured, squeezing her hand before taking a seat next to the bed. Lizzie nodded, firmly believing him.

"So, what took you so long to get here this morning? I figured you'd be here hours ago," Lizzie teased.

"You put me in charge of communicating with the family so I was on the phone for a while last night and this morning," William explained. "I also took some time to write Eleanor a letter."

"You did?" Lizzie asked, her expression softening.

"I wanted to take a page out of my father's book so I sat down and started writing," William exhaled. "Honestly, I don't know how he kept his letter so short. Mine was four pages. I know I rambled but I couldn't help it." William reached out and brushed his thumb across his daughter's cheek before turning back to Lizzie. "I'm in love with our daughter."

"It's hard not to be," Lizzie agreed, tenderness in her voice. "I'll write her a letter when we bring her home. Keep up with the Darcy tradition and all."

"That would be nice," William said. "She'll have more to read when she's older."

"Mmhmm," Lizzie hummed. "You talked with family?"

"Right. Everybody is anxious to meet Eleanor but it's completely up to you if you want them to come. Gigi is basically on standby, Lydia is busy with work this afternoon so she was hoping she can meet her this morning, and I convinced Fran and Thomas to wait to drive up until after lunch. That way, the visits are spaced out," William said before adding. "We can Domino with Jane and Bing in the morning so as to keep our regularly scheduled call, Fitz and Brandon will wait until we're home and offered to bring us dinner one night this week, and so did Charlotte and Sam."

"That's nice of them. Did you say Gigi's on standby?" Lizzie asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I did," William chuckled. "She's very anxious to meet her niece and told me she can jump in the car at a moment's notice."

"Of course she would," Lizzie shook her head in amusement. "How about this? I ordered breakfast just before you arrived so it should be here any minute. After that, I need a little time with the lactation consultant and then you can let Gigi know I'm up for a visitor. Lydia is more than welcome to come any time after that."

"Sounds good. I'll give them a heads up," William said, quickly typing away on his phone before slipping it back into his pocket. He got up and walked over to the sink, taking a minute to wash and then dry his hands. Then he returned, scooped up Eleanor into his arms, and Lizzie could practically see happiness radiating from him as held her. She made a few noises and squirmed before settling back down. "It's been too long since she's been in my arms."

"You were barely gone overnight."

"Like I said, too long," William replied lightly.

Lizzie laughed quietly. "I love you."

He looked up at her with a lop-sided smile. "I love you, too."

* * *

After breakfast, Lizzie and William got a visit from Betty, the lactation consultant. She was armed and ready to help Lizzie out in breastfeeding Eleanor. Betty explained a technique in detail where they would use a syringe that would essentially coax Eleanor to want more and latch on. William was at Lizzie's side with a full syringe and Betty was coaching them through it, letting them know it would take a few feedings to get it right. Each time Eleanor pulled away, William lured her back. It wasn't quite what Lizzie expected but she could already tell that her daughter was warming up to it. She hoped that she wouldn't need to be tricked, so to speak, after a few days.

Once Eleanor had enough to eat, she quickly drifted off to sleep. Betty talked with Lizzie for a few more minutes while William stepped out to call Gigi. Betty gave her a few extra tips on how to take care of herself, creams to use for sore nipples, and preparing for when her milk would come in. Lizzie admitted that she wasn't looking forward to the initial discomfort but she knew it would be worth it for the little girl in her arms. Betty told Lizzie to ask for her if she was having any more problems and gave her her card in case she had questions. She excused herself and passed William as he returned to the room.

"Do you feel more confident? William asked.

"I do. It's going to take some work but hopefully—" Lizzie started, looking down at her sleeping daughter, "—Eleanor picks it up quickly."

"Let's hope so," William said. "I called Gigi to let her know she can come visit now. There may have been actual squealing from her end."

"Oh dear," Lizzie chuckled. "Would you take her? I want to make myself look presentable."

"You look lovely to me," William murmured as he carefully took Eleanor from Lizzie's arms.

"Thanks. I don't feel it," Lizzie said flatly. William gave her a sympathetic smile and a quick kiss on her forehead to make her smile.

"Do you want some help?" William offered.

"I buzzed the nurse already. She'll be here in a moment."

A little over fifteen minutes later, Lizzie felt a bit more refreshed after a trip to the bathroom. She put on a robe and brushed her hair into a ponytail before William helped her back into bed. She was still moving slowly with her sore body and appreciated that he was helping her out so much. Once she was comfortable enough, William rolled a freshly-changed and swaddled Eleanor over to her side and he took a seat next to both of them. His phone beeped and he checked his message, typing a quick reply.

"Gigi just got here," William said, putting his phone away. "She'll be up in a minute."

"Surprised it took her this long," Lizzie said playfully.

"I told her not to break any traffic laws in getting here."

"You may have to mention that to my parents as well."

William chuckled and nodded and before they could say anything else, there was a light knock. Gigi stood in the doorway with a gift bag in her hand and looking very eager to come in.

"Hi Mom and Dad," Gigi greeted enthusiastically, bouncing in. "You look amazing, Lizzie!"

"Hi, Gigi. Thank you," Lizzie beamed, feeding off her happiness. William got up from his chair and met his sister halfway before they gave each other a big hug, whispering something to each other that Lizzie didn't quite hear.

"Am I the first?" Gigi asked when she pulled back, peeking over his shoulder to get a glimpse of Eleanor.

"You are," William confirmed. "Lydia should be here a little later."

"Well, I want maximum time with my niece so outta my way!" Gigi said, stepping towards the bed and holding up her gift. "I got her a little something."

"Spoiling her already?" Lizzie asked.

"You know it!" Gigi grinned. "Okay, what's an aunt gotta do to hold her niece around here?"

William snorted in surprise. "Why don't you wash up and then get comfortable? Then you can properly meet her."

As Gigi headed to the sink near the door, Lizzie opened the present. She pulled out the tissue paper and looked inside before taking out a newborn-sized onesie and holding it up for William to see. It was white with 'Cutest pumpkin in the patch' written on it and a little pumpkin next to it.

"This is so cute, Gigi! Thank you," Lizzie said as she was finishing up and drying her hands.

"I couldn't resist. Besides, you didn't have a Halloween outfit for her, considering you thought she'd be arriving later," Gigi said. "I hope it fits her. I got the newborn size."

"It looks small enough," Lizzie murmured, checking the tag. Gigi bounced over to the rocker in the corner and made a show of sitting down.

"I'm ready! It's niece time!" Gigi announced, clapping her hands. Lizzie snickered when William threw her a quick amused glance to her as he picked up Eleanor.

"Aunt Gigi…" William started as he walked over with Eleanor in his arms. Lizzie swore she heard a tiny squeal coming from her sister-in-law. He bent down and very carefully put her in Gigi's arms, instructing her to support her head. "Meet your niece, Eleanor Anne Darcy."

"Hi, pretty girl!"

It was remarkable to watch her mood go from excitable to peaceful in a matter of seconds. Lizzie couldn't blame her. Her daughter seemed to have that effect on both her and William and now Gigi. It was some time before her voice went above a whisper and she kept making silly faces even though Eleanor was fast asleep. William snapped a picture and sat on the side of the bed next to Lizzie, reaching for her hand.

"You guys, she's so beautiful," Gigi said with admiration, looking back up at them. "She has the Darcy nose!"

"She does," William said proudly.

"I see bits of both of you in her." Gigi ran a finger along Eleanor's little nose and she smiled even wider when a small sound escaped Eleanor's throat. "You are the cutest! I'm going to spoil you so much!"

"Everybody's going to spoil her," Lizzie said matter-of-factly.

"If Scarlett and Charlie were on this coast, they'd be spoiled more too. Eleanor is only a ten-minute drive from me! She can come over any time to visit her fun aunt." Gigi said, looking down at the baby and using a sweet tone. "That's right. I'm your fun aunt. I'll take you wherever you want to go and buy you whatever you want. If you want to run away from home because your parents are being boring and mean, I'm there for you."

"Gigi," William said sternly, his brows furrowing.

"I'm just kidding," Gigi said. "You're far from boring and mean now."

"You're welcome," Lizzie said to him with a grin.

"Now Eleanor gets the fun daddy." Gigi paused, looking a bit more serious. "I can't believe you're a daddy now."

"I've had nine months to get used to the idea of her," William replied. "It doesn't feel quite real yet…like I'm not quite comprehending that she's actually here and I'm holding her in my arms."

"Maybe when we bring her home?" Lizzie offered softly. "I know what you mean. It still feels like a dream."

Gigi smiled and said quietly, "I wish Mom and Dad could have met her. They would have _loved_ her."

"Me too," William said, taking a moment. "Mom would have cried and Dad would have tried and failed to calm her down."

"You know he would have given you a cigar too," Gigi pointed out. William laughed and turned to Lizzie.

"He did that for any family friend and employees who had a baby. He did it ironically at first as a way of making fun of the tradition and then he simply got used to doing it," William explained and Lizzie squeezed his hand. "I can't believe I forgot about that."

"It's been a while," Gigi said wistfully. "And I just want to say how much I love the name. Eleanor and Madeline were my favorites of your top five and Anne..."

"We're very happy with it," Lizzie replied. "I thought it was fitting."

"It's perfect," Gigi murmured. Eleanor woke up and became squirmy in her arms, effectively undoing the swaddled blanket. She became a little fussy and Gigi tried to fix the blanket but was struggling. Lizzie nudged William to help her out and he came to Gigi's rescue, taking Eleanor from her and setting her down on the changing table to swaddle her again. Once he finished, William brought Eleanor over to Lizzie and put her in her arms.

"Gigi, we've been meaning to ask you something," Lizzie began and William took a seat on the edge of the bed.

"We've been talking about this for the last few months and now that you're back from London, we can ask you. Of course, we thought we had a couple more weeks," William continued and Gigi looked intrigued. "We were hoping that you would be Eleanor's guardian if anything ever happened to us."

Gigi gasped and her hands flew up to her mouth as her eyes began to water.

"You were my whole family for the longest time and you took care of me just as much as I took care of you," William said warmly. "I—we couldn't think of anybody else better suited to raise Eleanor if we weren't around. She wouldn't have to adjust to a new city or new lifestyle and we know she would be loved. We want you to think it over because it's obviously a big decision…"

"William…"

"You don't have to give us an answer right away," Lizzie told her quickly.

"I don't need to think about it," Gigi said fiercely, standing up. "William dropped everything to raise me. He _fought_ to raise me. I would do the exact same thing for Eleanor if it came to that. It would be an honor to be her guardian."

William exhaled and closed the distance between him and Gigi, putting his hands on her upper arms.

"We had a feeling you'd say yes," William said. "You're already in my will as her guardian."

"What!" Gigi laughed. "You know me too well."

"We had to put someone and you were at the top of the list," Lizzie said as William hugged Gigi. She smiled at Lizzie over his shoulder and Lizzie returned the expression, her eyes a bit watery too. She glanced down and noticed that Eleanor had fallen back to sleep. She sighed and brought her attention back to the siblings in front of her, now pulling away from their hug.

"You guys better make sure this becomes nothing more than a title," Gigi told them, pausing for a moment. A shadow of a sad expression flashed across her face. "I remember what it was like to lose our parents. I don't want Eleanor to have to go through that," she said softly.

"We'll do our best," William said sincerely.

* * *

Gigi stayed for a little longer and got her fill of Eleanor, but she didn't overstay her welcome. She took a bunch of pictures of Eleanor and the new little family, and William sent her the one he took of her, which promptly became her phone background. Then she congratulated them again and promised to see them again soon before leaving.

It wasn't long before Lydia was texting William and asking what room number they were in. She appeared soon after with an eager look and her own offering of a 'Congratulations' balloon and food container.

"Hey!" Lydia said happily as she walked in. "I got a little something to brighten the room up and a little something for you, Lizzie."

She handed the container to Lizzie and set the balloon down to give William a hug. When she pulled away, he took the balloon and moved it out of the way.

"Ooh! Cake! You know the way to my heart, sis," Lizzie said, leaning in as Lydia gave her a quick hug.

"I figured everyone would be showering Eleanor with gifts and you should totes get something too," Lydia said as William sat on the edge of the bed.

"Thank you."

"Sorry but I didn't get anything for you, William," Lydia said and he waved it off.

"My daughter is my gift," he said sincerely.

"That is such a Darcy thing to say," Lydia teased, playfully rolling her eyes at him.

William quirked his eyebrow at her. "Would you like to meet her or rib me some more?"

"Meet her, of course!" Lydia exclaimed, hurrying to the sink to wash her hands. "I have to warn her about her dorky parents amongst other things."

"Should we worry that both Lydia and Gigi are trying to pit Eleanor against us?" William asked.

"They'll have a hard time doing it," Lizzie assured him. He bent down to kiss her, brushing his hand across her cheek.

"I'll also have to tell her that you'll be embarrassing her with your displays of affection when she's thirteen," Lydia added, taking a seat and watching as William picked Eleanor up and brought her over.

"She'll be getting plenty of affection from us. I hope she won't embarrass so easily," William said, placing her in Lydia's arms. "Support her head. There you go."

"This baby is the most adorable baby ever," Lydia said sweetly before quickly looking up at them. "Don't say anything to Jane and Bing."

They both laughed.

"We won't but we agree," Lizzie said. "We might be biased though."

"I mean, could she be cuter? She's so little and she's got all this hair and I swear it looks like she's even smiling a little," Lydia said.

"She does!" Lizzie agreed. "Only when she's sleeping though."

"She has so many expressions already," William said with pride. "It's hard to choose a favorite."

"I love them all," Lizzie said sincerely and William nodded, putting his arm around her.

Lydia smiled at the two of them as she adjusted Eleanor in her arms.

"So tell me how everything went! I can't believe you didn't tell me you went into labor. Bing practically sent carrier pigeons the second Jane did," Lydia said.

"I'm sorry. We were a bit caught up with everything," Lizzie apologized. "But I actually started feeling contractions on Thursday."

"Lizzie was amazing…"

* * *

Eleanor began to get fussy as they were wrapping up the story and Lydia decided to make a quick exit, leaving them alone. They promised to call her when she could come over again and she hoped it would be soon. William helped Lizzie with feeding Eleanor and though it still took a handful of attempts with the syringe to get her to latch but she stayed on once she did, making Lizzie very happy. While she fed her, William stepped out to call Lizzie's parents to find out when they would be leaving, hoping Lizzie would have some time to rest. They told him they were running later than they expected and wouldn't even get on the road for two more hours so it left them with a few hours to themselves.

It was exactly what both of them needed after the hustle and bustle of the morning. A nurse came to check on them just after Lizzie finished nursing and to get her walking around for a little bit. Lizzie insisted William stay with Eleanor and he took the opportunity for more skin-to-skin bonding, grabbing a blanket and settling into the rocker in the corner. Lizzie didn't return for another twenty minutes and she had a pleased look on her face. William waited for her to say something but could tell she was waiting until they were alone. The nurse helped her into bed, wrote something on the board, and then left.

"Something tells me that face isn't just because you were able to walk around so long," William said.

"It's partially because of that," Lizzie shrugged. "It's also because every time I passed the door, I got a glimpse of my wonderful husband being amazing to our daughter."

"I'm getting as much bonding time in as I can," William said simply and Lizzie smiled.

"I know. I love it. I had her on my chest after you left last night. It really does make me feel closer to her."

"I look forward to bringing her home tomorrow. I'll feel more comfortable and I'll be able to take care of both of you," William said.

"More comfortable?"

"Just no peering eyes of nurses or anybody from the door," William said, pausing to bring Eleanor a little higher up on his chest. She made an unhappy noise at the change in position and he quietly soothed her within moments. "I don't mind yours though."

"Because they're fine?" Lizzie asked jokingly.

"Because they're yours," William shook his head in amusement. "You never can resist, can you?"

"It's who I am," Lizzie said. "I bet she'll have the same sense of humor."

"I wouldn't be surprised," William said before looking at Eleanor. "You're going to be sharper than both of us combined, sweetheart. I know it."

"And it's going to come back to bite us when she's a teenager."

"I sincerely hope not," William sighed. "You know, you should get some rest before your parents get here. I've got Eleanor."

"You sure?"

"Of course. I have a feeling it's going to be a long visit."

"Probably," Lizzie hummed, settling into bed. "You're too good to me."

"I'm simply taking care of my girls."

* * *

Lizzie woke suddenly to the sound of her daughter's newborn cries. William was changing Eleanor's diaper and trying to soothe her crying but seemed to be having trouble.

"I know, sweetheart. Just give me another minute," William said softly, being gentle as he cleaned her up. She wailed and her little arms flailed, oblivious to his attempts to help her. He grabbed a diaper and noticed Lizzie was awake out of the corner of his eye. "Hello, sleepyhead. Did she wake you?"

"Yea but I should get used to that, right?" Lizzie joked and he gave her a sympathetic smile. "Is she okay? Does she need me?"

"She's mad I decided to change her diaper so she'd be fresh for her grandparents. I think she's hungry too," William told her, finishing up. "I was about to get you up so you could get in a feeding before they got here. They called me a minute ago and they're about ten minutes away."

"Already?" She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. She pulled herself up in the hospital bed, getting herself into a comfortable position, and checked the time. "I thought they wouldn't be here for a little while."

"I have a feeling they drove faster than they should have."

He worked quickly to swaddle her tightly in her little blanket, having a mildly difficult time getting her arms in. Once he did, he adjusted her little beanie, picked her up, and brought her over to Lizzie.

"Maybe you'll be happier with Mommy," Lizzie cooed as she was placed in her arms. Her cries calmed down to fussing and she began to quiet down. William helped Lizzie get Eleanor set up with the syringe and she latched after the third try. "There we go. You're getting the hang of it, baby girl."

"It's taking less time," William noted, grabbing a pillow and setting it under Eleanor for Lizzie.

"Hopefully we won't need the syringe by the time we go home," Lizzie hummed. William sat down in the chair next to the bed and kept an eye on the two of them as she fed. Soon, she heard the buzz of William's phone and he showed her that her dad was calling before he answered.

"Hi Thomas," William greeted. A little smile played at the corner of his lips as he listened and Lizzie felt excitement begin to grow from his expression. She had been looking forward to her parents meeting their granddaughter. "No worries. I'll come out and meet you. I'll see you in a minute."

William hung up and stood up from his seat, tucking his phone in his pocket.

"Thomas and Fran got a bit turned around so I'm going to go fetch them," William explained, leaning down and kissing Lizzie before running his hand to try and tame the parts of Eleanor's hair that were standing up. "I'll try to take my time so you can finish up."

"Thank you."

Lizzie watched him go. She relaxed against the pillows and sighed as Eleanor continued eating. Her eyes were just barely beginning to droop and she knew it was a sign that she was just about done. The fact that Lizzie could already figure out Eleanor's cues on what she needed made her feel whole. Lizzie was amazed how effortlessly she had fallen in love with her. They had been one and the same and connected for these last nine months. Now she could strengthen the bond between them even more by taking care of her on the outside now.

Eleanor made a little noise as she pulled away and was struggling to stay awake.

"You've had enough, haven't you," Lizzie said softly, adjusting her hospital gown and robe with her free hand. Then she carefully grabbed the little white cap on the bed and covered Eleanor's hair, not wanting her to get cold. "You're falling asleep just as Grandma and Grandpa are coming to see you! It's okay. You'll see them plenty in the months to come."

Lizzie heard her mom before she saw her. That southern twang carried down the hall and she was immediately grateful there were only a few other new mothers in the department.

"I just can't believe she came so early! You barely gave us enough warnin'," Mrs. Bennet spoke on as she walked in. As soon as she spotted Lizzie and the baby, she stopped in her tracks and clutched her chest. "My baby had a baby! My baby's all grown up and lookin' wonderful!"

"Hi, Mom," Lizzie greeted. "Thank you."

"Hi, hon. I wanna see my granddaughter. She's gonna love me," Mrs. Bennet insisted, practically marching over to the bed.

"She's a bit sleepy," Lizzie told her mom.

"Well, she had quite an ordeal, didn't she? Comin' early and everythin'. You slept right on through the first days. Only woke when you needed somethin'," Mrs. Bennet told Lizzie. She sighed as she got a good look at Eleanor. "May I hold her?"

Lizzie nodded and gently handed her over, telling her to be careful.

"I've raised three of you. I know how to handle them, Lizzie," Mrs. Bennet said, taking a seat on the rocker. "Goodness, you are just so little! Aren't you just the most precious thing?"

William and Mr. Bennet sauntered in a moment later deep in conversation, each carrying a bag in both hands. She wouldn't be surprised if her dad was giving him some more fatherly advice. She almost didn't want to interrupt them but she was happy to see her father.

"Hi, Dad." Lizzie said, lighting up as he looked over and smiled.

"My Lizzie. How are you doing?" he asked, walking over to her and putting the bags down.

"Pretty well. William has been insisting I get plenty of rest," Lizzie said.

"After everything you went through, you need it," William said, slipping his hands into his pants pockets. "Your daughter is even stronger than I ever realized. I mean, I knew she was but she was incredible."

"Men are the weaker sex, by far. Those who say otherwise haven't experienced the miracle of childbirth."" Mr. Bennet said, glancing over to his wife. "Fran?"

"You'll wait your turn," Mrs. Bennet said in an overly sweet voice, keeping her eyes focused on the bundle in her arms. "I waited thirty years for this."

Lizzie snorted and looked at her dad for his reaction. Mr. Bennet merely chuckled and shook his head.

"Should you be surprised?" Mr. Bennet asked, grabbing the closest chair. William sat next to Mrs. Bennet on the small couch, letting her have her time with her granddaughter but watching them both. "It will give me more time to visit with you."

"I'm glad you're here," Lizzie said softly.

"Me too, pumpkin," Mr. Bennet said.

"What's in the bags?" Lizzie asked, peering over the bed.

"Gifts for the baby. I'm afraid we – well, mostly your mother – went overboard a bit. You can open them when your mother is done," Mr. Bennet laid a hand on top of hers. "Tell me all about Eleanor while I wait."

"She's so wonderful, Dad. It's hard to believe she's mine," Lizzie told him, lighting up with happiness as she proceeded to gush all about her new daughter.

* * *

It was a while before Mrs. Bennet gave up Eleanor but both Lizzie and William promised that she'd get plenty of time during Thanksgiving. She finally relented as Eleanor woke up and started crying. She had some trouble soothing her and Mr. Bennet stepped up, showing them that he still had the magic touch after all these years. She stopped soon after and began to drift off once more.

"What's the trick?" Lizzie asked lightly.

Mr. Bennet looked up to Lizzie with a serene look on his face.

"Babies can sense stress, you know. They feed off your emotions," Mr. Bennet said. "If you're trying to calm them down and you're not calm yourself, it's a fruitless effort. Babies will cry at all hours of the day and night. You have to be relaxed and strong for her. Keep your stress at the door."

"Good advice," William said, exchanging a look with Lizzie as they both filed it away for the future.

Her parents stayed as long as William and Lizzie thought they would, until visiting hours were nearly over. Mrs. Bennet was able to hold Eleanor for a little longer before they left and shed a few tears when it was absolutely time to go. Her parents gave Lizzie and William hugs before they left and her dad whispered that he was proud of her and congratulated them again.

Oddly, Lizzie was a bit weepy when they left. She blamed it on her hormones that were still out of whack. William did his best to comfort her, joining her on the bed with Eleanor and putting his arm around her. It made her feel better to be so close with her husband and daughter at once. She nearly asked him to stay the night but wanted him to be well-rested and get everything ready before they took Eleanor home tomorrow. When it was getting late, he kissed her and Eleanor, and armed himself with all the gifts that had been given to them over their hospital stay. He promised to return in the morning prepared to bring their daughter home, and then he left them alone for the night.

* * *

 _Sunday, October 28th_

"Oh, Lizzie. She is so beautiful!" Jane cooed. "Isn't she beautiful, Bing?"

"She's gorgeous," Bing agreed. "And that hair! Charlie and Scarlett were bald for months. We can't wait to meet her in person."

"She's going to love you both," Lizzie smiled, gently patting down tuffs of Eleanor's hair that were standing up. "We're surprised about all her hair. I love it."

"We can't quite tame it though," William chimed in and Bing laughed softly.

As soon as William returned to the hospital in the morning, they called Jane and Bing on Domino. They took advantage of the big screen television in their room and they were showing off Eleanor.

"Beanies and baby caps are always a good place to start," Bing said.

"Don't buy too many. I'm going to make you some and bring them for Thanksgiving," Jane told them.

"Thank you, Jane," Lizzie said softly. "Where are the twins? It's pretty quiet on your end."

"They're not here. They're with my parents for the weekend. They had a whole thing planned," Bing said.

"It's not like any of us knew she was going to come this early," Lizzie said, smiling down at her daughter before glancing back to William. He beamed and pressed his lips to the top of her head.

"Considering the fact that both you and Jane were early," William pointed out. "Maybe the Bennet sisters have that in common. Early deliveries."

"It's always possible," Bing laughed. "We'll find out when we decide to add to the Lee family."

" _If_ and when," Jane corrected, nudging him. "Though seeing Eleanor is having me lean towards when."

"It's only going to get worse when you get her in your arms," Lizzie warned.

"Newborns have that effect," Jane said softly.

The four of them talked for a little longer and Lizzie and William were clearly proud new parents, telling them everything Jane and Bing they could think of. Jane insisted Lizzie call her later so she could hear the details of her labor and to settle Thanksgiving plans. Time was getting away from them and William and Lizzie still had a couple boxes that needed to be checked off on the medical chart before they were able to go home. They finally said goodbye with promises of more phone calls once they settled in. Their nurse, Marla, walked in a few moments later as William was putting Eleanor down and Lizzie had a feeling she had been waiting until their Domino session was over.

"You can go home today," Marla said brightly. "There are some things we need to go over, some forms to sign, and I'll answer any questions you may have. You should be on your way by this afternoon."

It seemed so soon all of a sudden. They spent so much time waiting and preparing for their baby's arrival but Lizzie felt some anxiety start to build up with the realization that they were _actually_ taking her home. There would be no nurses right outside the door or consultants on call if something went wrong. What if all the progress she made with breastfeeding stopped and she struggled? What if Eleanor wasn't eating enough and she started losing weight? What if she didn't sleep at all when they went home?

William must have seen the worry in her eyes because he came up beside her, put his arm around her to give her shoulder a squeeze, and smiled at her reassuringly.

"There's a number we can call should we have any problems or questions once we get home, right?" William asked the nurse.

"Of course. You're getting a whole list. You can call your doctor and the nurses' hotline with any questions. We don't want you feeling ill-prepared," she replied. "It's normal for first-time parents to feel nervous about the trip home. That's why I'm here to make sure the transition is as smooth as possible."

"Thank you," Lizzie said sincerely.

The time leading up to them being officially being released seemed to go by in a blur, despite Lizzie and William doing their best to keep up. They signed the official birth certificate, set up follow-up appointments for both Lizzie and the baby. Marla answered their questions about sleep patterns and a few other concerns before she demonstrated how to bathe Eleanor until her umbilical cord came off. William recorded it for posterity's sake and it turned out to be more entertaining than they anticipated.

"She's loving this," William commented with a chuckle, looking to his right at Lizzie. She smiled at him and held onto his arm as Marla continued.

"Some babies love baths and some hate them. Looks like yours will be in the former category," Marla said, showing how gently they needed to wash her hair. Eleanor closed her eyes, her lips twitched and her tongue darted in and out of her mouth, showing them that she was clearly enjoying it. "Remember this for when she's fussy. A little scalp massage could calm her down or even put her to sleep."

Marla picked up the small hairbrush next to the sink and began brushing Eleanor's hair. "Once you've washed the shampoo out, you gently brush her hair in short strokes. She's got a nice head of hair but it's very soft and fine so you don't want to be too rough."

"Noted," William said. "How often should we be giving her a bath?"

Lizzie was glad he was asking these questions. They had read up on so much that it was starting to jumble together. Thankfully, everything the nurses were telling them was straightening her thoughts out.

"You don't need to give her a bath more than a few times a week. You can dry out her skin if you bathe her too often."

Once the nurse finished up, she began an examination of Eleanor to make sure she was healthy enough to take her home. Her temperature was normal and her weight was down to six pounds even but Lizzie and William were reassured that it was normal. As long as they monitored her weight and kept up with a breastfeeding schedule, it would be okay.

Dr. Gates showed up soon afterwards to give Lizzie an examination of her own while William filled out the rest of the paperwork. She was told that she was healing well and it would take a little time for her post-baby belly to disappear, thought breastfeeding would help. She was told to take advantage of getting as much rest as she could in the coming days, especially with William at home with her. She gave Lizzie her own set of instructions on what she could and could not do for the next six weeks. Lizzie took advantage of Dr. Gates being there and talked to her about her concerns about taking Eleanor home. By the time they were finished, Lizzie was relieved to hear what she was felt was normal and was much more confident about leaving the hospital.

After Lizzie and William ate lunch and Eleanor was breastfed again, they got ready to go home. They were given their discharge papers and Marla said she would be back with a wheelchair. William took his time getting his daughter dressed up in her first official outfit that said 'Hello. I'm new here!' along with tiny booties, a cap, and hand mittens to prevent her from scratching herself.

"There we go. You're all ready to go home, sweetheart," William said, picking her up and holding her close to his chest. He glanced over to Lizzie, who was slipping into some ballet flats.

Lizzie walked over to them and she leaned into William's side. Eleanor was already on her way to falling asleep but she noticed she was fighting to keep her eyes open. It was as if she knew something exciting was happening and didn't want to miss it. Lizzie tugged on her cap a little to pull it down, not wanting her to get cold.

"I swear she's getting cuter by the hour," Lizzie hummed.

"Considering who her mother is, it's no surprise," William said.

Marla returned to the room moments later, bringing in the promised wheelchair as well as a tote bag.

"I nearly forgot to give you this." Marla held up the bag with the hospital logo on it. "It's full of new parent goodies that you may find useful. I threw in some extra supplies for Mom and Baby."

"Thank you," Lizzie said gratefully. Lizzie took a seat in the wheelchair and set the bag in her lap while William put Eleanor in the car seat. Marla checked to make sure Eleanor was secure and approved of his work. Then they waited as William did one last check around the room to make sure they had everything before he grabbed the car seat and Lizzie's hospital bag.

Marla took the lead and pushed Lizzie down the hall while William walked besides them. It only took a couple minutes to reach the hospital entrance and they stopped at the curb while William put everything down. Lizzie watched as William practically sprinted to get the car and disappeared out of sight. She spent most of the time checking on Eleanor to make sure she was okay but also talked with Marla. William pulled up and he jogged over to the passenger side, while the back doors slid up.

"Now _that_ is cool," Marla commented.

"I've been hearing that a lot since I got the car," William said, helping Lizzie out of the wheelchair, spent a minute locking the car seat to the base and Marla double-checked his work. Once everything was up to par, she congratulated them again and wished them luck before pushing the empty wheelchair back into the hospital. William watched as she disappeared back into the hospital and then closed the passenger doors before sliding into the driver's seat.

"Will, you'll go slowly, right?" Lizzie asked from the back seat. He turned in his seat so he could look directly at her.

"The two most important women in my life are in the back seat of this car," William said tenderly. "So, yes. You'll be annoyed at how slow I'll be driving."

Lizzie laughed softly. "Just be careful. You don't need to go overboard."

"As you wish."

William wasn't kidding about his careful driving skills. They were honked at once when he took his time turning left and again when he crossed through an intersection. Lizzie was more amused than annoyed at his cautiousness and couldn't blame him. She would be driving the same way. Instead, she was keeping an eye on Eleanor and watching her as she slept, unaffected by the traffic noise. The commute was nearly five minutes longer than normal and they both breathed a sigh of relief as he parked and shut off the car.

"How's she doing?" William asked, pressing the button to open the passenger doors.

"Still sleeping," Lizzie replied, unbuckling her seatbelt. "I feel like I could use a nap too."

"Then let's get you two upstairs."

It took a few minutes to get everything and everyone out of the car. It was another few minutes before they made it to the elevators. The doorman on duty spotted them and excitedly offered his congratulations before officially welcoming a sleeping Eleanor to the building. Thankfully the rest of the journey was uneventful and they didn't run into anybody else. Lizzie rested her head on William's shoulder and sighed as she felt him press his lips to her during the ride up. When they got to their door, William grabbed his keys from his pocket to unlock it. They strolled inside and William stopped in the living room, putting the carrier down on the couch and the rest on the coffee table. Lizzie unbuckled all the straps and carefully pulled her out of the seat, bringing her against her chest.

"Welcome home, Eleanor," Lizzie whispered as William came up beside them.

"Did you happen to notice the date?" William asked after a few moments. Lizzie shook her head and he showed her his phone screen. It was October twenty-eighth. It was a significant day for them, one that set everything in motion that eventually led them to this moment of bringing their newborn daughter home from the hospital. Her eyes welled up a little with happy tears and William cupped one side of her face, leaning in to kiss the corners of her eyes. She still couldn't quite get her emotions in check.

"Did you have something planned for today?"

"I did," William confirmed. "This is far better."

"It is," Lizzie nodded.

"But I was thinking we could celebrate with some Chinese food for dinner."

A smile grew on Lizzie's face and his smile matched hers.

"Sounds perfect."

"I thought so," William said. "Now, give her to me and go take a nap. When you're both awake, she can get the tour."

Lizzie sighed, carefully handing over the sleeping baby. "Thank you."

Her nap lasted approximately two hours before she was awakened by newborn cries. She found William in the nursery trying to soothe her but Lizzie was already beginning to recognize the cry of hunger. He helped Lizzie get Eleanor latched and then he left them in the nursery. While Lizzie nursed, he took care of unpacking, putting everything away, and ordering dinner.

The two of them settled down for a quiet evening of watching television in between feeding Eleanor (and themselves) and diaper changes. Chinese food was just what Lizzie needed after spending the last few days in the hospital. While the food had been better than any hospital food she had before, nothing could compare to their favorite meal in their own home.

William practically pushed her into the shower after protesting that Eleanor might get hungry. As she stood under the warm water, she was glad that he did. She shouldn't have worried in the first place. William had already shown what a caring father he was in the past few days. He was giving her the time she needed to heal and not acting like Eleanor was solely her responsibility.

After a lengthy shower where she carefully watched some delicate areas, she slipped into some old sweats and shirt. She found William in the living room, sitting up length-wise on the couch with his knees bent, and Eleanor laying against his legs. He was talking to her in the same tone that he used when she was in utero. Lizzie paused and watched him for a few minutes, filing the moment away as a favorite amongst many others to come. She gave herself away when she shifted and the floor creaked beneath her feet. William whipped his head towards her and gave her a welcoming smile.

"Feel better?" William asked as she walked over and rested her arms on the back of the couch.

"With the exception of all the uncomfortable things happening with my pelvic area and my boobs, I'm great," Lizzie said, a bit sarcastically. He looked at her sympathetically.

"I wish I could help you more," William said softly.

"You're doing more than you know," Lizzie told him, brushing some hair out of his face and looking to their daughter in his lap. "She's awake."

"She is," William said. "Woke up soon after you got in the shower. She's been listening to me this whole time."

"Is that true, Eleanor? You've been listening to Daddy?" Lizzie reached out and ran a finger down her daughter's nose and she blinked slowly. "I think we should give you a tour of your new home then. Daddy can narrate."

William chuckled. "I'll be glad to."

* * *

 _Monday, October 29th_

 _2:49 am_

William wasn't sure what to expect with Eleanor for their first full night home since he hadn't stayed overnight for either night. Lizzie had said Eleanor only woke up a couple times each night in the hospital so he figured it would be much of the same. They had planned to have her sleep in their room for the first month or so but the bassinet they ordered wasn't set up yet. It was delivered while they were at the hospital and William hadn't had the time to build it. Shortly before eleven pm, they put down a sleeping Eleanor in the crib in her nursery, and took the baby monitor with them before going to bed themselves.

His body must have been on high alert because he woke up with a start. He checked to see that it was nearly three am and then noticed that Lizzie wasn't in bed. He hadn't heard Eleanor crying. He got out of bed and walked down the hallway to the nursery to find Lizzie standing near the crib.

"Lizzie?" William whispered, walking over to her. "Did she wake up?"

"Not yet," Lizzie said quietly. William came up behind her and put his hands on her shoulders, peeking into the crib to see a still-sleeping baby. Lizzie reached up and rested a hand on top of his. "I thought she would. I got worried so I came in to check on her…make sure she was still breathing."

"Lizzie…" William sighed. It was a legitimate worry that he unfortunately had already felt as well.

"I put a little mirror under her nose to make sure," Lizzie admitted, looking back at him.

"Did you?" William chuckled and she nodded. "I probably would have done something similar."

They went silent and stood there for a few more minutes, watching her sleep. He could easily watch his daughter sleep for hours on end and making sure that she was okay. She was only days old but he couldn't get enough of her. He already knew his decision to take off as much time as Lizzie was a good one. There was no way he was going to miss this, sleepless nights and all.

"Look at what we made, Will," Lizzie breathed.

"She's amazing," William replied, exhaling. "But we should go back to bed."

"You're right," Lizzie nodded, taking one last look before they began to walk out of the nursery. "Who knows when she's going to wake up."

* * *

 _6:02 am_

Eleanor surprisingly slept the rest of the night. It surprised both Lizzie and William but they were grateful for the extra sleep, knowing it wasn't something they should get used to. Once they heard her start to cry, they were both wide awake. Lizzie woke up to a second surprise in the form of full breasts and two wet spots forming on the front of her t-shirt. Her milk had come in. She groaned and got out of bed to clean up and change while William attended to Eleanor and her dirty diaper. He was just finishing up when she walked in, ready to nurse. Lizzie was pleased when Eleanor took to her breast right away without any help at all. William joked that she must have been waiting for the good stuff. Lizzie snorted and shooed him away so her daughter could eat in peace.

* * *

 _Friday, November 2nd_

The first few days seem to melt together for Lizzie and William. They were full of diaper changes, naps, nursing, and bonding time. Their usual schedule was being completely upended and they were on the baby's time. While they were both thrilled to have Eleanor finally here and home, they couldn't help but worry. Was she sleeping too much? Was she getting enough to eat? Was there such a thing as too much skin-to-skin time? After Eleanor used each of them to nap on, they agreed there was never too much skin-to-skin time.

Their only contact during those blurry hours was the doorman. He delivered a large bouquet of flowers from Aunt Catherine and a couple smaller ones from Sue and Andrea. There were a couple texts from their closest friends, checking in on them to make sure they were doing okay. They appreciated it and looked forward to them meeting their daughter but were also enjoying the time to themselves. William had a couple days' worth of stubble building up and Lizzie kept her hair up in a messy bun, partially to keep it out Eleanor's reach after she demonstrated her strong grasp reflex at the end of a two am feeding.

On Halloween, Lizzie and William kept their tradition of watching their spooky holiday classics. Even though she knew Eleanor couldn't see more than a few inches in front of her and she'd be asleep for half the time, Lizzie was excited she was here to share the day. She even dressed her up in the pumpkin patch onesie that Gigi gave them and took a picture, sending it to Gigi and giving her permission to share it around the main group.

Only their family, closest friends, and the higher-ups at their companies knew that Eleanor had come early and they wanted to keep it that way for a little longer. Those who knew promised not to spill the news until they were told they could. Lizzie and William hoped to settle into some kind of a routine before the news exploded so they wouldn't feel as weary when it did.

When Friday rolled around, Lizzie and William finally accepted Fitz and Brandon's offer to bring over dinner for them. The thought of having a night off from cooking sounded great. They both knew how eager Fitz and Brandon were to meet their "niece" and they were looking forward to seeing some friendly faces.

"You're sure you want them to come over?" William asked Lizzie once more for good measure.

"Considering they're already on their way, yes," Lizzie retorted, throwing away Eleanor's dirty diaper. She snapped the bottom of her onesie together and picked her up, pulling her close to her chest. "It will be nice to see some friends, even if it's only for a little bit."

"I had to ask," William said with a half-smile. He smoothed Eleanor's wild hair down with his hand before pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

"I'm not dressing up for them though," Lizzie muttered. She had been living in yoga pants, a nursing camisole, and her favorite hoodie for the past few days. The combination was the most comfortable for her; she had plenty of yoga pants to choose from and had been given a bunch of camisoles at the baby shower. William wore a pair of sweats and a simple t-shirt but he made them look good.

"Come on." William said softly. He put his arm around her and led her out of the nursery to the living room to wait for their friends.

Fitz and Brandon were knocking on the door ten minutes later and William went to answer it, Lizzie trailing behind with Eleanor in her arms. Two smiling faces were on the other side, both holding full tote bags.

"Darcy!" Fitz greeted, giving him a one-armed hug. "It's great to see you, man."

"It's good to see you too, Fitz," William said as Brandon edged past them, patting William on the shoulder. He flashed him a quick smile.

"Good evening, Lizzie," Brandon said, catching sight of her as he came down the hall.

"Hi Brandon," Lizzie replied. She got up from the couch and left a content Eleanor in her swing seat. Brandon lifted the heavy bag onto the kitchen counter. "Are you feeding an army? What did you bring?"

"Brandon actually cooked for you guys," Fitz said, appearing at the end of the hallway with William. He put his bag down next to Brandon's and unpacking it. "Enough for a few days."

"Really?" Lizzie looked surprised. "You didn't have to do all that work."

Brandon paused in pulling out large containers of Tupperware. "I'm sure you two have been living on takeout and leftovers the past few days."

"True," William confessed. "I've made a couple meals, though."

"Also, I've been working from home the past week because we're renovating the offices. I had plenty of time to cook," Brandon explained. "I've labeled everything. I made a lot of high-energy meals since you're burning extra with nursing."

"I think I love you, Brandon," Lizzie laughed softly. Fitz finished with his bag and folded it up before coming over to give Lizzie a quick hug.

"I hope there's love for me too," Fitz said, pulling away. "I made dessert."

"There's always love for you," Lizzie beamed before checking one container. "Salmon! I haven't had this since before I was pregnant! We're having this for dinner tonight."

"Good. I only made it a couple hours ago," Brandon told her, opening the fridge.

"Let me help you find a place for everything," William offered.

"Meanwhile, I would very much like an introduction to the newest and tiniest member of the Darcy family. Please?" Fitz pleaded.

Lizzie led him back into the living room and had him sit down. She turned the swing off and picked up Eleanor.

"She's just been fed and changed. Be careful with her."

"I got her, I got her," Fitz assured, cradling Eleanor's head and holding her close. "Goodness gracious, look at you." He quickly glanced to Lizzie. "I knew you two would make beautiful babies but this is ridiculous."

He held her for a few minutes before Brandon and William joined them.

"She's gorgeous," Brandon complimented, sitting down next to Fitz. "You two must be proud."

Lizzie looked to William and slid her arm around his waist. "We are."

"Your phones will be inundated with pictures of her soon enough," William quipped.

Eleanor began to wake up and she stared at Fitz, as if she wasn't quite sure how to act around him.

"Hello there, Sunshine," Fitz cooed. "I'm your Uncle Fitz!"

"Sunshine?" William asked. "Is that her official Fitz nickname?"

"You two are more lit up than I've ever seen. I didn't think that was possible coming from you lovebirds but she's the reason. She's Sunshine," Fitz confirmed.

"I like it," Lizzie approved. "Better than Ellie D, which would have sounded like you were calling her a light bulb."

"It still makes her a source of light," Fitz pointed out, looking back down at Eleanor. "Right, Sunshine?"

Eleanor stretched out her arms and let out a tiny little yawn before smacking her lips together for a moment.

"Alright. It's official. We're taking this one with us."

"Sorry, Fitz. You're going to have to get one of your own," William chuckled, taking Eleanor out of his arms. Fitz pushed out his bottom lip and pretended to pout. Brandon patted his thigh and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"Thanks for putting the idea into his head. I'll be taking care of _two_ children if that happens," Brandon said as William placed Eleanor in his arms. "But if they were as precious as this little one…"

"Baby fever is real," Lizzie concluded.

Brandon and Fitz talked with them for a bit longer, asking them how they were adjusting, and if they were getting any sleep. It was nice to visit with their friends, even if it wasn't for very long. True to their word, they only stayed for a total of thirty minutes, and that time flew by. They left them to enjoy their homemade meals and promised to visit again soon.

William reheated the salmon and the vegetables that Brandon made to go along with it, followed by delicious homemade mini-cakes. It was the best meal they had the whole week and was exactly what the new parents needed.

* * *

 _Saturday, November 3rd_

Food seemed to be a common theme with a lot of life-changing events. Whether it was difficult event like when Lizzie had her surgery or a happy event like when they announced their engagement, food was always present. Giving birth and bringing home a baby was no different. Their fridge was stocked with Brandon's offerings but they also had to find room for the fruit salad that their doorman's wife made for them and the lasagna from their neighbor.

So when Sam and Charlotte came armed with Lizzie's favorite casserole that Sam often made for their monthly dinners, they were prepared with just the right amount of space for the dish. They didn't want to intrude for too long, so they just stopped by on their way to an engagement party.

"Oh my god! You have a baby!" Charlotte exclaimed when Lizzie answered the door. Lizzie threw her head back in laughter and beckoned the couple in, giving her bestie a hug. Charlotte didn't waste any time and hurried over to William, who was holding Eleanor, while Lizzie brought Sam into the kitchen to put their offering away.

"How are you doing?" Sam asked, warmth and genuine concern in his voice as he gave her a hug.

"Good. Tired but we're still adjusting," Lizzie said. "She seems to be a pretty mellow baby. Doesn't really cry unless she's hungry or has a dirty diaper."

"That's good, right?"

"Yea. It's just getting used to her waking up at one, two, or three in the morning," Lizzie replied. "She's not exactly predictable at night."

"It takes time but you'll get it," Sam assured her. "But I really meant how _you_ are doing specifically."

Lizzie thought about it for a moment and then answered honestly. "I've been better. Still feeling quite tender. My belly is getting smaller so I don't feel as whale-ish. I'm more at food baby status now."

Sam chuckled. "You look great."

"Thank you," Lizzie smiled, rubbing his arm. As quick as lightning, Charlotte appeared in front of them with a giant smile on her face and Eleanor in her arms. "Well, hello. May I help you?"

"Nope. I'm good. I have a tiny baby," Charlotte said happily.

"Look at this mess of hair!" Sam exclaimed, gently patting the tufts sticking up. "Hi there, cutie pie!"

"She has good hair days and crazy ones," Lizzie told them. "The crazy ones are more entertaining."

"If you're going to get those professional pictures done where she's asleep and they put her in adorable positions, do it on a crazy hair day," Charlotte insisted.

"We will," William said, coming up behind them and putting an arm around Lizzie's shoulder. "We're definitely making sure her hair is featured. We love it."

"Along with the rest of her." Lizzie looked up at him.

"Absolutely."

"You two are taking to parenthood exactly how I would have expected," Charlotte said with a smirk. "Disgustingly well."

"We're really good at pretending for an audience," Lizzie quipped.

"Take the compliment, love," William murmured to her.

"Alright," Lizzie said melodramatically and William shook his head in amusement.

"You two make a good team. You have an adorable, sweet baby to show for it," Sam said.

Charlotte smiled and pulled Eleanor away so she could look at her face. "You've got some great parents, kid. They're going to love you and take care of you and raise you to be the best kid around. And you've got your Aunt Charlotte and Uncle Sam help you with everything else."

Eleanor blinked and then sneezed three times in a row.

"Bless you! Oh god. I can't handle that cuteness. Take her away from me before I change my mind about waiting to have one of our own," Charlotte said, handing her over to Sam.

"Now I've got the tiny baby. Hello there, Eleanor," Sam said, flashing her a big smile.

"Do you want me to tell you the details of my labor to help sway you back to waiting?" Lizzie joked. Surprisingly, Charlotte nodded and grabbed her by the arm to pull her to the living room.

"You've got ten minutes and then we have to go," Sam warned.

"That should be plenty of time to get me straighten out," Charlotte winked.

* * *

"That's enough excitement for one day, isn't it, sweetheart?"

William put Eleanor down into the swing seat and turned it on the lowest setting. After Charlotte and Sam left, Eleanor began to get fussy so William changed her and Lizzie nursed her. She fell asleep shortly afterwards and William took her from Lizzie's arms so she wouldn't have to get out of her comfortable position. He adjusted the thin blanket, pressed a kiss to her forehead and then took a seat next to Lizzie, letting out a breath.

"Do you think they're right?" Lizzie asked, resting her head against his shoulder.

"About?" William put his arm around her.

"Being a good team," Lizzie echoed.

"Mmm yea," William nodded subtly. "We've kept her alive this long."

"Will," Lizzie scolded, smacking his thigh. "I'm being serious."

"I am too," William said. "She's a week old. We've somehow figured it out well enough to get her to this point. If we keep doing what we're doing together, we'll get her to two weeks. Before you know it, she'll be walking and talking and making friends."

"Too far. Don't go that far yet. I like her this small," Lizzie said with a pout. "I love her this small."

"Me too," William whispered, bringing his gaze on their sleeping daughter. "How about we focus on getting her through the next week? And when we get there, we'll work on the next."

"And then the next?" Lizzie said with a bright smile, lifting her head. William turned to look at her and kissed her softly. He brought a hand up to her cheek and looked at her adoringly before she continued. "And the next?"

"You've got it, love."

"You're right," Lizzie put her head back on his shoulder. "We do make a good team."

* * *

 _Note: Lizzie and William are officially parents, Eleanor is home, and she's met most of her family! Isn't it exciting? It's just the beginning. There's still plenty to come and milestones to hit so stay tuned!_

 _Eternal thanks to Sarah, who has officially started her own editing business online! I couldn't be more proud of her and I'm very lucky I get her expertise for this story._

 _There's at least one extra that will be posted over on the blog :)_


	20. Being Thankful

_Summary:_ _Lizzie and William navigate through Eleanor's first month and they celebrate their first Thanksgiving as a family._

* * *

 _Notes:_ _Hey guys! I know you've been waiting for a new chapter but at least that's over! Let me just say how difficult it is to get in the mindset of Thanksgiving when it's basically Spring. Geez._

 _Enjoy!_

* * *

 _Monday, November 12th_

William woke up at the crack of dawn, surprisingly before Lizzie or Eleanor. It hadn't been that long but his body appeared to be adjusting to the earlier wake up calls. In the last two weeks, he had become a lighter sleeper. He felt like his body was on constant alert, ready to jump out and reach out for Eleanor as soon as she made a noise. His heart felt a tiny ache every time she started crying and he knew he was going to be a sucker for her crocodile tears later on.

Today he was awake early because it happened to be his birthday. Ever since he started dating Lizzie, he looked forward to it, especially because she always tried to outdo her previous surprises. This year was extra special, the first one he would be spending with his daughter. It was the only present he wanted and he told Lizzie as much when she asked some time ago.

He sat up and quietly got out of bed, checking to see that his girls were both still sleeping and went into the bathroom. He spent a few minutes studying himself in the mirror, trying to see the changes between thirty-two year-old and thirty-three year-old William Darcy. The sides of his hair had a touch more gray as did patches of his short beard. The circles under his eyes were a shade more prominent but he wore these circles with pride. They were a sign of being a new parent. He traced the faint wrinkles on his forehead, most likely brought on from the stress of the office, and he noticed a couple laugh lines too. He'd chalk those up to Lizzie.

William took a deep breath and washed his face before shaving, which was something he had been neglecting since Eleanor was born. He was starting to worry he'd scratch her delicate skin whenever he kissed her so he made a point to get rid of it today. Once he was done, he cleaned himself up and did a quick inspection. Just as he was finishing up, he heard a bit of fussing and he knew he only had a matter of time to get to his daughter before she went into full crying mode. Quick as lightning, he put everything away and exited the bathroom, heading straight for the bassinet.

"Alright, alright. Daddy's here," William said softly, picking Eleanor up as she fussed. "Shhh. It's okay, sweetheart."

Lizzie stirred but he quickly walked out of the bedroom with the baby, making sure not to wake her. She deserved a little extra sleep since she had been up at two am to nurse Eleanor. He stopped in the kitchen to take some breastmilk out of the fridge and warm it up in the bottle warmer. Then he took Eleanor to the nursery and laid her down on the changing table while her cries increased. He talked to her in a comforting voice while he changed her diaper, then grabbed a dark onesie to put her in, snapping it shut before bundling her up. Her cries had subsided but she was beginning to root and stick out her tongue and it would only be a matter of time before she started up again.

"Let's get you something to eat, shall we?" William said, cradling her in his arms and bringing her back to the kitchen. He grabbed the warmed up bottle and took a seat on the couch in the living room, situating the Bumpy beneath him so Eleanor would have some support. Once she took the bottle, William leaned back and relaxed while she ate. He felt pure satisfaction when he had the chance to feed Eleanor, like now. He was glad that Lizzie had started pumping and storing her extra milk so he could help out even more.

When doing research about the first weeks of adjusting with a baby, he was appalled by the stories where the husbands rarely, if ever, offered to get up in the middle of the night to help out with feedings or even change a diaper. He found joy in every aspect of fatherhood. He couldn't fathom just sitting back and making Lizzie do all the work. They had always worked well together and he felt like the bond between him and Lizzie was strengthening day by day because of their daughter.

Once Eleanor finished the bottle and he burped her, he put her in the swing so he could do some yoga. After taking a week off once the baby was born, he could feel the yearning in his body to get back to it. He really had to thank Bing for being the first one to suggest yoga; it helped him relax and made him feel stronger. He also enjoyed his little audience while he did his workout, even if she dozed off more often than not. Lizzie would usually be watching as well and planned to join him again once she was cleared for more rigorous exercise.

He didn't realize how much time had passed as he worked on his poses until Lizzie came shuffling in, looking refreshed and dressed for the day.

"Happy birthday!" Lizzie said, taking a seat next to the swing. "And good morning."

"Morning," he replied warmly. "How did you sleep?"

"I needed that extra time. Thank you."

"You're welcome," William said, coming out of a complicated pose. He sat down and rested his arms on his bent knees.

"You didn't have to do that on _your_ birthday," Lizzie said and he shrugged. "You should be sleeping and getting breakfast in bed."

"If you want to make me breakfast, I can get back in bed," William teased.

"No bed necessary but I'll make you breakfast. How long have you been up?"

"A while. I couldn't sleep. Eleanor and I have been enjoying each other's company. I changed her, gave her a bottle, and now she's back in dream land."

"And being the cutest little girl," Lizzie cooed, adjusting Eleanor's cap. "Your sister texted you."

Lizzie held up his phone before setting in the coffee table. William reached out and grabbed it, checking the message.

"Standard birthday message. She wants to know if it's okay to drop off my donut."

"I think we can spare a few minutes for donuts," Lizzie nodded. "I see you also found time to shave."

"I didn't want to be responsible for scratching our daughter with my scruff."

"How considerate," Lizzie said as he got up. He walked over to her and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear before bending down and giving her a kiss good morning.

"Do I have time to shower while you make breakfast or do you want me to watch her?"

"We'll be just fine," Lizzie said. As he turned to go, she lightly smacked his butt and he glanced at her over his shoulder, noticing her mischievous grin.

"Just for fun?"

"One for every year you've been alive. Only thirty-two more to go."

* * *

The morning was relatively quiet for the Darcys. Gigi stopped by just as they were finishing up breakfast and stayed for less than a half hour, giving William his birthday gifts and getting her fill of her niece. The weather was bright and sunny and the three of them took advantage of it, going on a walk through the neighborhood and having lunch at a local bistro.

After they returned, Lizzie changed and nursed the baby while William laid down to rest on the couch in the living room. When Lizzie was finished and had put Eleanor in a milk coma, she gave her over to William and he put her on his chest. Her naps seemed to last longer when she was against one of them and William gave off the most heat. They spent the next couple hours watching a movie but he was barely paying attention to what was happening on screen, feeling her breathe beneath his hand and occasionally hearing her hitched breath. He noticed Lizzie holding her phone up to them and one corner of his mouth tipped up.

"What are you doing, love?" William asked.

"Have you noticed that Eleanor sort of smiles when she naps? I'm sure it's just a reflex but I keep noticing it."

"I have! I've only caught it a couple times. Is she doing it right now?" William arched his neck to check.

"She was a minute ago. I got it," Lizzie said, holding up her phone. "And I had to get this preserved. You just look so content."

"I am," William said simply.

"Is this how you expected to be spending your birthday?"

William took a minute to answer. "It's so much better. I expected to be spending it with my favorite person but now I have the added bonus of this little one's company."

He brushed his hand to smooth down Eleanor's hair and pressed a kiss to the top of her head, taking in a deep breath of her smell.

After a few minutes, Eleanor stirred and then she began to bob her head against William, moving back and forth. He was amused at her attempts while Lizzie grabbed the Bumpy from the couch and got herself comfortable to nurse.

"Sorry, sweetheart. I don't have the right equipment for you," William said apologetically. She began to make noises of frustration and he got up from the couch, handing her over to Lizzie. "Here we go. Mommy will make it all better."

Eleanor was just on the verge of crying when Lizzie got her latched and began to nurse her.

"I swear she's going through a growth spurt or something. She's eating like a maniac the last couple days," Lizzie said.

William took out his phone did a quick search, finding the app he was looking for. "According to this, she's right on track. Babies hit a growth spurt around two to three weeks."

"At this rate, she'll be taller than me."

"She's barely more than two weeks old. We have years before you have to worry," William said. He watched her nurse for a few moments and a sense of pride and happiness surged through his veins. "You really are a wonderful mother."

"Thank you," Lizzie smiled, her gaze flickering up to him before returning to the baby. She paused. "Do you...no, never mind. It's not important."

"No, tell me."

"Well," Lizzie began, adjusting the baby. "Do you just see me as a mother now?"

"Just? Lizzie…" William frowned. What words could he use to express his feelings? She was a new mother and he could already see her fierce love for their daughter. Still, she was so much more. She was his wife, the love of his life, and his partner. She was responsible for changing so much about him and making him happier than he thought possible. She was stronger than he ever could be. Watching her and being with her throughout the labor showed him how amazing she was and stronger than most people he knew. "I see you as a goddess."

"Will…" Lizzie's cheeks pinked. "Don't you think you're being a little grandiose?"

"You asked me and I'm telling you," William said. "You'll never be _just_ anything."

Lizzie exhaled. "You're kind of amazing. You know that, right?"

William stood up and walked over to her, bending down and kissing the top of her head. "Thank you. You helped make me this way."

* * *

The rest of William's birthday was a quiet affair. Friends and family called throughout the day to wish him a happy birthday and he opened some gifts and cards that came in the mail. Lizzie surprised him with a framed self-portrait of herself taken just days before she went into labor. She was dressed in a flowy white dress and she was looking down, her hands on her belly. She told him it very nearly didn't happen but Lydia and Charlotte helped out. It was William's favorite birthday gift and he immediately hung it up next to their wedding pictures in the hallway. There was still plenty of room along the wall and they planned to put up some framed pictures from Eleanor's first moments, along with moments for years to come.

They ordered out from William's favorite Thai restaurant for dinner and Lizzie pulled out a small cake for dessert, having hid it in the very back of the fridge. Afterwards, they gave Eleanor a bath before she was fed and put down for the night. They knew they'd be up again in a few hours but they took some time for just the two of them, winding down and spending some time together watching a movie. It was one of William's favorite birthdays, spending quiet time with the women he loved.

* * *

Lizzie and William fell into some semblance of a schedule during those first weeks. They'd wake up around six am from of the sounds of fussing from Eleanor, her diaper would be changed, and Lizzie would nurse her while William made breakfast for the two of them. After breakfast, Lizzie would have skin-to-skin time with Eleanor and watch William as he went through his daily yoga routine, intent on improving on the more difficult poses.

The hours between nursing Eleanor were interchangeable; they used them to rest, get things done around the house, cook, and get to know their daughter. She was a very calm baby, crying only when she was hungry or needed changing. If she did begin to fuss outside of that, it was usually when she wasn't being held and she could be soothed by being picked up. They shared diaper duty but William was usually first to volunteer. He also happened to be the fastest between them and that helped when Eleanor was particularly cranky about her dirty diaper.

After they would eat dinner, they would get Eleanor dressed and go for a walk around the neighborhood. Until she was big enough for the baby sling and the Baby Bjorn, they pushed her around in the stroller, and she usually slept. The walks were helping Lizzie feel more normal and avoid postpartum depression, something she had worried about prior to giving birth. The walks were proving beneficial enough that she was fitting in her pre-pregnancy clothes by the time Eleanor was three weeks old. She figured that breastfeeding was also helping her lose the baby weight, though she knew she was luckier than other women since she hadn't gained too much extra during her pregnancy.

After their walk, they'd go back home and one would play with Eleanor while the other would take a shower before switching off. On the nights they gave her a bath, it would be a team effort. Bath time was one of the favorite parts of the day for the whole family. Eleanor absolutely loved the warm water and it was a delight to watch her joy when they'd put her in. They would be gentle when they washed her hair and the rest of her body and William had her hooded towel ready and warm from the dryer when they were finished. They avoided the tears that way and had a happy, clean baby on their hands. Later, Lizzie would nurse her before they put her to bed and she would sleep for a few hours. After a midnight feeding, they would go to bed prepared to wake up in the middle of the night again.

Lizzie and William tried their hardest on top of things happening outside of their little bubble, mainly with the help of William's calendar skills. They called Charlie and Scarlett on their third birthday, promising that their gifts were ready and waiting for them when they came to visit for Thanksgiving. They had their weekly calls with Jane and Bing as well as their parents, happy to show off their baby. They firmed their plans for the holiday and they expected family a couple days before the big day.

Their friends stopped by on occasion, always making sure to call and check with them before visiting. Lizzie would share a daily picture or two with their closest circle, never being able to resist taking a picture of Eleanor in her adorable onesies and whenever she fell asleep. They had professional pictures taken of Eleanor at the apartment, where she was sleepy for most of the shoot and her hair was extra crazy for it. Later in the month, they would use one of their favorite pictures from it to officially announce her arrival to their companies and the rest of their friends. The explosion of excitement from everybody and the flood of congratulations made them feel loved but they were happy they waited as long as they did to spread the news.

Lizzie and William kept track of Eleanor's development from the time she was born for records and the doctors. She was already hitting a couple milestones. As she went from days to weeks old, they noticed she was beginning to track their movements with her eyes and focusing more on what was in front of her. At the beginning of her third week, she began to cuddle with them whenever one of them held her. It made it harder to get anything done, not wanting to miss out on the bonding time. All in all, Lizzie and William were adjusting well to life with a baby. Their life was being dictated by their daughter but they didn't mind in the slightest. More than anything, Lizzie and William were thankful for each other and their newborn daughter.

* * *

 _Tuesday, November 20th_

Thanksgiving was only two days away. They were hosting this year, but her family was insistent on doing all the prep and cooking for the holiday. Her parents and the Lees were all staying in the same hotel, not wanting to impose with a new baby in the house. Mr. and Mrs. Bennet were already on their way but wouldn't be coming over until lunch while the Lee family were due to arrive in the afternoon. All Lizzie had been doing the last few days was nursing Eleanor, pumping, and planning her daughter's outfits, along with backup outfits. William had come into the nursery to find her planning each day and, instead of teasing her, he picked a few of his own to add to the pile.

They wanted to try and stick with their schedule as close as possible, despite the number of visitors they would be having over the next few days. After their early morning routine, they put Eleanor in the swing seat while Lizzie and William picked up around their place. Now, William was in the middle of emptying the dishwasher while Lizzie nursed her very hungry daughter.

"I feel like we should be more stressed out right now," Lizzie said, looking over at William.

"When nobody is staying with us, it makes things easier," William replied, putting some cups away in a cupboard and turning to look at her.

"It does. I'm glad they're letting us pay for their room."

"I wouldn't have accepted a 'no' from them, especially when they're taking over Thanksgiving," William told her, closing the empty dishwasher. He walked over to her and leaned against the back of the couch, brushing her shoulder. "How is she doing?"

"Getting her fill," Lizzie joked, glancing back at him with a twinkle in her eyes. She returned her gaze to Eleanor, who had just pulled away, seeing that she was getting sleepy.

"Can I help with anything?" William asked as Lizzie readjusted her top.

"Would you mind taking her so I can get ready?"

"Absolutely," William reached out and took Eleanor from Lizzie's arms, along with the burping cloth. He laid the cloth over his shoulder and brought her against him before he began to gently pat her back. Lizzie got up and quickly kissed his cheek, thanking him before she hurried out of the room. He glanced at the time to see that it was nearly noon and her parents would be coming soon. Where did the time go? That seemed to be the question of the last few weeks with Eleanor in their lives now. The clock revolved around her. There was still plenty of time before they needed to go back to work but he had a suspicion that it would be more difficult than they initially believed.

Eleanor let out an impressive burp, pulling him out of his thoughts, and he couldn't help but laugh. He pulled her away from him to look at her and she had a serene look on her face.

"Where did you get your manners, huh? You're proud of that one, aren't you? You silly girl." William pressed a few kisses to her face before bringing her close to his chest again. She burrowed her head in the crook of his neck and he sighed happily. "Oh sweetheart."

Lizzie returned to the living room to find him where she left him, subtly swaying on the spot.

"If I didn't just have your baby, the image of you holding her like that would make me want to have your baby," Lizzie said lightly. William looked over to her and a smile grew on his face.

"We can always have another," William suggested as she walked over to him and slid an arm around his waist.

"Sorry but my body hasn't quite recovered from this one yet. No more baby-making for a couple more years, at least," Lizzie said before adding, "and no _practice_ until the doctor clears me."

"I'm a patient man, Mrs. Darcy," William said. "That gives us more time to cherish the moments with this little one."

Lizzie's face brightened and she squeezed his side. "Sounds perfect, Mr. Darcy."

* * *

Mr. and Mrs. Bennet arrived soon after with lunch in hand, surprising both Lizzie and William. What wasn't surprising were the bags of gifts in tow, despite their generosity a few weeks prior. Lizzie gave her dad a hug hello and he followed William into the kitchen to get lunch ready.

"Mom, you didn't have to," Lizzie sighed as her mom put everything down to hug her.

"Not all of it is for Eleanor, you know. The twins just had their birthday too," Mrs. Bennet said, giving her a gentle squeeze before pulling away to really look at her. "You're lookin' wonderful, dear. You barely look like you had a baby! Except I can tell that your milk has come in."

" _Mom_ ," Lizzie gasped, bringing her arms up to cover her chest in surprise.

"What? The same thing happened to your sister," Mrs. Bennet clucked. "Breastfeedin' is a natural part of bein' a mother. The Bennet women go up a size when feedin' their little ones. No shame in that."

"I know. There was probably a better way to say it though," Lizzie grumbled.

"I'm sorry, dear," Mrs. Bennet said dismissively. "Where is my granddaughter? I've been dyin' to hold her again."

"You'll have to wait until after we eat. She was just put down for a nap," Lizzie told her, grabbing two of the bags from her and leading her down the hallway.

"She still sleepin' the day away?"

"I just nursed her and she always falls asleep afterwards," Lizzie said, turning the corner and putting the bags down on the counter in the kitchen. "You didn't have to bring us lunch. We were happy to go out."

"We did it more for us," Mr. Bennet said, thanking William as he handed him plates. "We've been driving a while and would rather stay in. That way, we have uninterrupted time with the two of you and Eleanor, once she wakes up."

"It's a good idea, Dad," Lizzie smiled at him in appreciation before she looked at the spread before her. "Everything looks so delicious."

"Then let's eat!"

Eating at home turned out to be much more relaxing for everybody. Eleanor woke up in the middle of lunch and Lizzie brought her out from the nursery after changing her, putting her down in the swing seat while they finished up. She could swear her mom was eating more quickly. Unsurprisingly, Mrs. Bennet was the first one done and practically rushed to the kitchen to put her dishes away and wash her hands. She slowed down as soon as she had her granddaughter in her arms. Once everybody else was done and everything was put away, they moved to the living room to visit some more.

Soon, Eleanor was squirming and fussing to be fed so Lizzie disappeared to nurse her. Mrs. Bennet was insistent on getting most of the grocery shopping done for the holiday so William accompanied her while Mr. Bennet stayed behind to spend some quiet time with his sleepy granddaughter once Lizzie was finished nursing.

"She reminds me of you, Lizzie," Mr. Bennet said softly.

"Really, Dad?"

"Mmhmm," he hummed. "When I look at her face, I can see a lot of you in her already."

"I see a lot of William in her features," Lizzie said, leaning into him. "Her nose is distinctly Darcy and she has his dimple. She sometimes smiles in her sleep and it's really noticeable. The other night, she woke us up and she was giggling in her sleep! I didn't even know babies did that."

Mr. Bennet beamed and looked at her. "You did."

"I did not," Lizzie said with surprise.

"Both you and Jane laughed in your sleep. For you, it was right around the one month mark. I'd be holding you while you slept and you'd just start giggling out of nowhere. It was remarkable because you didn't start laughing when you were awake until you were about three months old," Mr. Bennet told her.

"I never knew that. Mom never said anything," Lizzie said.

"Memories come to you at the oddest times," Mr. Bennet mused.

"Look! She's doing it again!" Lizzie said quickly. He brought his attention back to Eleanor and her lips were twitching up into an almost smile as she slept.

"She is!" Mr. Bennet chuckled. "You have a very happy daughter on your hands, Lizzie. You're doing a wonderful job."

Lizzie sighed. "Sometimes I feel like I'm flying by the seat of my pants."

"I guarantee every new parent feels that way, pumpkin. Your mother and I had no idea what we were doing when we had Jane. We learned as time went on. It was the same when you and Lydia came along. It's all about the experience. You're doing better than you realize. William too. I can see how thrilled he is to be a father. I am so happy that you and Jane found such supportive partners. I want what's best for you girls and I'm sure you're beginning to understand the feeling," Mr. Bennet said with a knowing look in his eye.

Lizzie nodded quickly and her eyes stung with unshed tears while she patted his knee in comfort.

"Thank you, Dad," she managed.

"You're welcome, hon," Mr. Bennet said before adding. "You know you can call any time you want? Even if it's just to chat. I'm here for you, day or night. Not just on Sundays."

Lizzie laughed softly, wiping away a rogue tear. "I'll keep that in mind."

"I love our weekly calls," Mr. Bennet said. "Did you know that Lydia calls me a couple times a week now?"

Lizzie raised an eyebrow. "Does she?"

"Ever since my health scare. She called quite often when I was recovering. Now it's a couple times a week. The topics vary. Sometimes, it's about her job or something happening in the city. More and more lately, it's about her beau. She sounds rather smitten with Adam. It's a shame he couldn't join us for Thanksgiving this year."

"He's good for her," Lizzie agreed. "You know, I have this feeling he'll be able to join us for the holidays sooner than later…"

* * *

Lizzie talked at length with her dad, thoroughly enjoying the time alone with him and her daughter. Once William and her mom returned, things sped up from there. She and William got texts from Jane and Bing saying they had landed and when they then checked into the hotel. After the twins had their nap, they planned to come over for dinner. Luckily, her mom had thought ahead and bought enough food for dinner to feed a tiny army so she didn't have to worry. When Eleanor began to fuss, Lizzie retreated back to the nursery to feed and change her. Her little bout of crankiness was subdued with milk and she turned back into a happy baby, just in time for more visitors.

"How are you doing?" William asked, standing in the doorway of the nursery. Lizzie was pacing back and forth and patting Eleanor's back to get her to burp. She turned to look at him and smiled.

"Good. She's nearly ready to meet her aunt and uncle," Lizzie told him. "Are they here?"

"They just parked. If Fran wasn't busy in the kitchen, I think she would have run downstairs to meet them," William joked.

"I wouldn't doubt it," Lizzie said, pausing as she heard a tiny burp from Eleanor. She continued gently patting her back, knowing she had more in her. "Thank you for giving me some time with my dad, Will. I'm sure I owe you one for going out alone with my mom."

"Nonsense," William said, closing the distance between them. "All I had to do was talk about Eleanor in detail and she was perfectly happy."

"You do love talking about this girl," Lizzie said with a twinkle in her eye. William raised an eyebrow as if to say she did as well but smiled before leaning in for a kiss.

"Guilty as charged," William murmured, pulling back slightly. He pressed a quick kiss to Eleanor's temple and she let out another burp as he did it. Lizzie snorted at the timing.

"That's her way of saying she loves you," Lizzie deadpanned.

William shook his head, brushing a hand over his daughter's hair and smoothing it down. "Thank you, Eleanor. Daddy loves you too."

They heard a faint knock followed by a clatter coming from the kitchen.

"I have a distinct feeling they're here," William said. Lizzie agreed and told him to go ahead, saying she would be out in a minute. He made his way out of the nursery, towards the living room, and as the twins spotted them, they started running towards him.

"Uncle William!" they both shouted.

"Uh oh! Twins are on the loose!" William joked, crouching down and holding his arms out. They ran straight into his arms and he very nearly toppled over from their speed. He wrapped his arms around them and gave them a big hug. "Who are these giants? I very distinctly recall Scarlett and Charlie being smaller than this."

"We grew!" Scarlett giggled as he shook them in his arms. He loosened his hold and pulled back. Then he tapped his cheek and Scarlett gave him a big, sloppy kiss. He turned to Charlie and put his hand up, getting a little high five in return.

"Where's Auntie Lizzie?" Charlie asked.

"She will be out in just a minute," William told them, seeing Jane and Bing emerging from the entryway with Mr. Bennet. "Are you excited to meet your cousin?"

The two of them nodded in unison and he smiled at them before standing up. They immediately wrapped themselves around his legs and he chuckled. It was the same routine every time.

"William! It's great to see you," Jane said warmly, walking over to him and giving him a hug. "I see you've got a leech problem."

"It would appear so. They're getting stronger every time," William noted.

"They are. I can barely keep up with them!" Jane said, crouching down. She persuaded the twins to go to the kitchen to see if their grandparents needed help and they scurried away. "How are you doing? Where are Lizzie and Eleanor?"

"They will be right out," William assured. "And I am doing better than ever."

"Even with the lack of sleep?"

"She makes it worth it," William said truthfully. As if on cue, he heard the sound of footsteps and Lizzie came around the corner with Eleanor in her arms. He noticed Jane perk up even more and excitement lit up her face.

"Hi Jane," Lizzie said happily.

"Lizzie! It's so good to see you!" Jane squealed, giving Lizzie a side hug. She reached out and brushed her fingers along her hand before her voice changed to a sweeter, more motherly tone. "Hi there, Eleanor. I'm your auntie Jane! Aren't you just the cutest little thing?"

After a moment, Lizzie handed Eleanor over to Jane and she looked like she was in heaven. William left the doting ladies to say hello to Bing, who had a ridiculous grin on his face when he went in to hug him.

"Hey, _Dad_ ," Bing said pointedly, clapping his back for good measure.

"Hey, Bing," William chuckled. "How was your flight?"

"A little bumpy but Scarlett and Charlie did really well," Bing said, checking on the twins to see that Mr. and Mrs. Bennet had a handle on them. Jane and Lizzie had already moved to the couch in the living room and were entertaining Eleanor. "I see my wife has her hands full already. We are so thrilled for you and Lizzie, Darcy. I can officially welcome you to the Dads' Club. I mean, you've unofficially been hanging around the entrance for years now."

William chuckled. "I'm happy to be part of it."

"First thoughts?"

"Bing. I just…" William exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck as he tried to think of what to say. "It's indescribable."

Bing patted his back. "You know how long we're here for. I'm here whenever you want to gush."

"Come on, Uncle Bing. I want you to officially meet your niece," William broke out into an easy smile. "And the twins have to meet their cousin."

"Well," Bing glanced back to the kitchen. "Fran has them in her clutches so I have at least ten minutes."

"I say fifteen by the looks of it but let's see, shall we?"

* * *

The twins lost interest in helping their grandma right between the ten and fifteen minute mark. Jane ushered them out of the kitchen so Mr. and Mrs. Bennet could get dinner ready to serve. William and Bing offered to lend a hand and began to set the table, both men occasionally glancing over to watch the sweet scene. Jane instructed the twins to sit on the couch, which Charlie did immediately but Scarlett took a minute to reel in.

"Scarlett, do you want to meet your cousin?" Lizzie asked, holding Eleanor to her chest. "She very much wants to meet you."

"Yea!" she replied bouncily.

"Would you do me a favor then? Have a seat next to your brother?"

"I'm hungry!"

Jane crouched down to Scarlett's level, taking hold of her hands. "I'll tell you what, sweetie. We can eat right after you meet her. Does that sound good?"

"Gramma is makin' dinner," Scarlett said, matter-of-factly.

"She is! Doesn't it smell delicious?" Jane asked and she nodded. "Take a seat for your Auntie Lizzie and we'll be eating dinner in no time."

Scarlett finally relented and Jane helped her onto the couch, where she sat next to her brother. Lizzie then kneeled down, positioning herself in front of them.

"This is your cousin Eleanor," Lizzie said, holding her at an angle.

"Baby!" Charlie said confidently.

"That's right, Charlie. Do you want to say hi?"

"Hi, Eleanor," Charlie said, reaching over and shaking her little hand. Eleanor squeaked in response and Charlie brightened, smiling at Jane.

Scarlett then leaned in close and waved. "Hi! My name is Scarlett Lee. How are you?"

Lizzie pressed her lips together to hold back her smile from her formalities. She watched the smile slide of Scarlett's face and began to pout.

"Why won't she talk to me?" Scarlett asked Jane.

"She's only a few weeks old, sweetie. She can't talk yet," Jane told her.

"Can we play with her? I wanna play hide and seek!"

"She's a little too fragile to play with unfortunately," Lizzie said gently.

Scarlett huffed and crossed her arms, throwing herself to the back of the couch. "She's boring."

Lizzie whipped her head to Jane and her eyes were wide with surprise, matching the expression of her older sister. She heard a snort cleverly disguised as a cough coming from the dining room table but she didn't look over, knowing she'd probably start laughing.

"Scarlett, she's not boring," Jane said sternly, getting on her knees. "She's a newborn baby and she's growing every day. She has to learn how to talk and walk just like you have."

"Mommy? Were we this small?" Charlie asked, not paying attention to Scarlett's pouting.

"You sure were, honey. You and Scarlett were the cutest little babies." Jane reached over and caressed his cheek. "Daddy and I took care of you two every day and made sure you were growing just like you were supposed to. Now look how big you are now. Auntie Lizzie and Uncle William are doing the same thing for Eleanor. Your cousin needs some time to get where you are."

"Christmas?" Scarlett asked hopefully.

"Not quite," Lizzie said. "But this time next year? She'll definitely be able to play with you."

"That's _too_ long," Scarlett complained.

"Time will go by quicker than you realize," Jane said in a comforting tone. "And you'll get to see Eleanor every week whenever your aunt and uncle call. You'll see her growing all throughout the year. Do you like that?"

"Yea," Scarlett nodded.

Jane beamed. "Can I have a hug?"

Scarlett climbed off the couch and into Jane's arms, throwing her arms around her mom's neck. Lizzie watched the sweet display and had a flash of her own daughter being big enough to give her a hug. An overwhelming wave of love and happiness washed over her and she let out a shaky breath. William happened to be walking over to get everyone for dinner and he came up to her, giving her a curious and worrying look. She smiled quickly and shook her head, letting him know she was okay. He accepted that without words but knew he'd ask about it later. Then he helped her by taking Eleanor from her arms so she could get up from off the floor.

"Okay, buddy. It's time for dinner!" Bing announced, grabbing Charlie by surprise from behind and making him squeal with laughter. "And when we're done with dinner, you two have some birthday surprises from the family."

Charlie and Scarlett shouted at the same time. "Presents!"

* * *

The rest of Tuesday passed by mostly in a blur but Lizzie and William convinced the family to join them on their nightly walk. Once the family headed back to their hotel, they breathed a sigh of relief from the quiet. Though it didn't last long when Eleanor loudly let them know she was hungry.

On Wednesday, Mrs. Bennet and Jane came over while William took Bing, Mr. Bennet, and the twins to some lesser-known spots of San Francisco. It took Lizzie a while to convince him to go, hesitant as he was to leave her and Eleanor. She promised that she was in good hands, especially with two extra people in the house, and gave him a sweet kiss before they left. When Mrs. Bennet and Jane weren't in the kitchen preparing for the next day, they were playing with Eleanor. Lizzie appreciated the extra help and the visit with her mom and older sister. It was surprisingly a relaxing day and it was the first time in a while that Lizzie didn't feel stressed about the amount of people coming over or the holiday itself.

* * *

 _Thursday, November 22nd_

Lizzie and William were awake quite early in the morning but it was nothing new compared to the last few weeks. Eleanor had woken up hungry and Lizzie nursed her in bed instead of bringing her into the nursery. When she was finished eating and she was burped, Lizzie laid her down between them on the bed as she kicked her legs and flailed her arms about. They flipped to their sides and William propped his head on one fist, happily watching and playing with their daughter.

"She's very alert this morning," Lizzie murmured, brushing a finger down her little nose.

"Maybe she's excited for her first Thanksgiving," William said, smiling when she got a firm grasp on one his forefinger. He subtly shook his finger and made a face, pretending he was stuck.

"I think she's feeding off our energy," Lizzie said. "She doesn't know what today is but probably sense that today must mean something."

"Today is a big day for you, sweetheart. All your family is here and they can't wait to see you." William leaned in and kissed her cheek a couple times. He pulled away and looked affectionately at Lizzie. "I'm very happy."

"I know," Lizzie said sweetly, reaching over and brushing her thumb across his cheek. "I am too."

William exhaled and brought his head to rest on his bicep so he was eye level with Eleanor. "When do we have to get ready for the day?"

Lizzie turned around to check the time before returning to her position. "My mom said she'd be over at 7:30 to start everything. We have a little over an hour."

Eleanor swung her arms and accidentally smacked William in the face. Lizzie laughed in surprise. "Oof! Who said it was okay to hit people, huh, Eleanor?"

"Can't quite figure out how to control your limbs yet, baby girl?" Lizzie asked. She pressed her lips to Eleanor's head and whispered against her skin. "It's okay. You'll get the hang of it soon enough, I promise you."

"Can you believe she's almost a month old? I mean…four more days and we're hitting a milestone," William said, brushing his fingers along her arm.

"Should we celebrate?" Lizzie asked teasingly. "Have a little party?"

"You know who you married, right?"

"We celebrate all the important days," Lizzie murmured. "And she's going to have a lot of them. Right, baby girl? You're going to grow right before our eyes."

"But not too fast, you got it?" William leaned in close to press kisses to her stomach. After a moment, he sniffed and pulled away and gave a knowing look to Lizzie. "Somebody needs her diaper changed."

"Just when we were enjoying our time with you, Eleanor?" Lizzie clicked her tongue in disapproval and shook her head.

"It's probably a good time to get up anyway," William said, sitting up. "Gotta get this little one dressed. I'll change her."

"Thanks. I think I'll jump in the shower," Lizzie said, picking up Eleanor and getting out of bed. "Come on, stinky girl. You're going with Daddy."

"We're going to get you cleaned up and ready for your first Thanksgiving!" William said enthusiastically as he walked out of the bedroom. "And then you can watch Daddy do his yoga!"

* * *

Lizzie's parents and Jane arrived within an hour of each other. Mrs. Bennet and Jane took over the kitchen while Mr. Bennet and William occasionally lent a hand when it was needed. Bing brought the twins over just before one and Lydia arrived soon after, jumping right into aunt-mode and keeping the twins occupied. Gigi was the last to arrive and later than she intended but she was looking as stylish as ever and had desserts in hand.

"Oh my god. I'm so sorry I'm late!" Gigi apologized to Lizzie, hanging up her coat in the hallway. "My kitchen sink was leaking and I only made it worse trying to fix it. Thank god my neighbor is so handy with tools."

"Your cute neighbor who lives across from you? The one you keep running into?" Lizzie prodded. Gigi turned a shade of red and Lizzie grinned. "Uh huh. I thought so."

"Oh, shut up. He was just _helping_ ," Gigi insisted as they headed down the entryway.

"Don't worry about it. The turkey isn't quite ready so you have your choice of entertainment. There are the cooks in the kitchen, the small humans running around with Lydia and Bing, and the tiny human in the living room with her father as a playmate."

Gigi's face visibly softened at the cute sight in front of them. Eleanor was propped up against William's legs wearing a onesie that said 'cutest turkey in town' and he was making silly faces at her. "I think I'll choose the tiny human."

"Yea," Lizzie grinned. "It's the best choice, in my opinion."

Lizzie followed Gigi, pausing for a brief moment when Scarlett ran across her path. She was surprised at how relaxed she felt despite the amount of chaos going on in the apartment. Gigi sat next to William and he brightened from her appearance, putting his arm around her shoulder and telling her that he was happy she finally made it. They caught up with each other and Gigi joined in making silly faces at the baby. Just as Mrs. Bennet announced that it was time to set the table, Eleanor declared loudly that she was hungry. Lizzie plucked her from William's lap and retreated to the nursery, closing the door for privacy. She actually found some peace and quiet while she nursed Eleanor and let her take her time. When there was a knock on the door, she was actually a bit startled.

"Lizzie? It's Jane," her muffled voice came through the door.

"You can come in," Lizzie said. Jane offered her a warm smile as she opened the door, walking in before closing it behind her. "Is everybody waiting for me?"

"You still have time. You know how long it actually takes to get all the food on the table," Jane assured her.

"She's nearly done," Lizzie said. "What's up?"

"Nothing," Jane said, sitting down in William's rocking chair. "I offered to come get you. A moment of quiet sounded nice."

Lizzie chuckled. "It makes a world of difference being in here, doesn't it? Don't get me wrong. I love our family but it's pretty hectic out there. I'm surprised Eleanor isn't more upset."

"Scarlett and Charlie slept through car alarms and fire engine sirens when they were babies. They got used to noise as time went on. Now, it's practically impossible to wake them up once they fall asleep," Jane told her. "They're completely oblivious in the beginning. Nursing was so helpful to get them back to sleep."

"I've noticed that. I thought I would hate this part of motherhood but I see why so many women prefer it. I mean, I'm only just getting past the soreness and I found the best nipple cream a week ago but I'm starting to see the perks," Lizzie said, looking over to her older sister. "Besides the obvious milk comas she puts herself in and how happy it makes her, I get this special bonding time with her that I wouldn't otherwise. Those moments when she's looking right at me, I see this sparkle in her eyes and my heart gets so full…I'm rambling, I know. There's a lot that I didn't expect when I became a mom."

"You're not rambling," Jane said softly. "I know exactly what you're talking about. I may have felt like a cow sometimes with two babies attached to me but I still wouldn't trade that time for anything. That was _my_ time with them and nobody else's."

"I hate to say it but I see why Mom was so pushy to get her grandkids," Lizzie said, pausing when she felt Eleanor slip off. She double-checked to see that she was truly finished and she adjusted her clothing. She laid a burping cloth on her shoulder and held Eleanor up, patting her back before standing up. "She wanted us to experience the same joy she did when we were babies."

"There's joy with every moment, you'll see. Even when you get past the big milestones of crawling, first words, and talking, you get to see them learning. You get to teach them," Jane said. "Scarlett's always 'designing' outfits with me and showing me her drawings. She's even given me input on a few of my own. She has so much energy that we're thinking of enrolling her in gymnastics because she sees it on TV and tries to copy the movements. Charlie's been carrying around books for as long as we can remember and now he's so determined to read them. He can actually read the books you guys have sent him! It could be memorization but still. And, he's always asking questions because he wants to know everything. He's so inquisitive. It's wonderful to see them develop." Jane laughed at herself. "Now _I'm_ the one who's rambling."

"No!" Lizzie insisted, moving Eleanor once she burped. She rested her head on her shoulder as she began to nod off. "I can't wait to get there and see what Eleanor is capable of."

Jane got up from the chair and moved closer to Lizzie, giving her that big sister smile of hers. Then she brushed a finger across Eleanor's pinkened cheeks and watched as she finally gave in to sleep.

"With you as her mom and William as her dad? She'll be capable of anything."

* * *

Thanksgiving dinner was well worth the wait. Lizzie's mom made way too much food, even with Jane reeling her in, but it was delicious and everybody was content. Eleanor hung out in between Lizzie and William in her swing seat, snoozing away her first big holiday. They even stuck with the tradition of what everybody was thankful for and what the best part of the year was. Jane and Bing talked about the twins and the successes in their professional lives, Lydia was happy at the theater and things with Adam were going well, and Gigi was simply thrilled to be surrounded by family for the holiday. Lizzie and William's answers were basically identical and expected but the table thought it was a sweet display. William slid his hand into Lizzie's as she verbally fawned over Eleanor.

After dessert was served, nearly everybody helped clear the table of dirty dishes and half-eaten food. Bing, Lydia, and Mr. Bennet took over cleaning the dishes and putting leftovers in containers, practically forcing Mrs. Bennet to relax. She joined the others in the living room where they had _A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving_ playing on the television. She sat next to Gigi, who was sitting on the couch, a blanket draped over her legs and a now-awake Eleanor laying on top. Jane was sitting in a chair next to the couch and were the twins on the floor, both wrapped up in blankets and nodding off. Lizzie and William were relaxing on the other couch, their hands joined, and her resting her head on his shoulder.

"The target audience for this movie is either completely unaware or asleep on the floor," William pointed out as the credits rolled.

"You know it's tradition," Lizzie said, nudging against him.

Once commercials began playing, he switched the channel to an old black and white movie and turned the volume on low.

"So, Jane," Gigi said. "When are you guys heading back?"

"First flight out early Saturday morning," Jane answered. "Bing has an event at the center on Sunday that he needs to help set up for and I've got a show in a couple weeks so I need to finish up my designs before Monday."

"Whenever I wear something you send me, I get at least two people asking where I got it," Lizzie praised. "I love my Jane originals."

"Thanks, sis," Jane beamed.

"I can't wait until Eleanor fits into the things you've made her," Lizzie said.

"Most stylish baby of the year," Jane said playfully. "There's no shortage of—"

"Um…guys?!" Gigi interrupted, sounding a bit frantic. "What's going on here? I didn't even notice until just this second!"

"Oh dear," Mrs. Bennet murmured, glancing at Gigi's lap. "What a mess, Eleanor."

Lizzie and William both quickly stood up to help out Gigi.

"Looks like she had a blowout," Lizzie winced for Gigi's sake.

Lizzie scooped Eleanor and the blanket up at the same time and Gigi stood up, hurrying to the bathroom to make sure her outfit was okay.

"There goes your adorable outfit, baby girl! Time to get you changed," Lizzie spoke to her in a sweet voice.

"I'll throw this in the wash," William said as they pulled the blanket off Eleanor. Lizzie excused herself and took the baby to the nursery while he disappeared around the corner to the laundry room. Bing, Lydia, and Mr. Bennet stopped what they were doing and asked what was going on.

"Gigi has experienced her first blowout with Eleanor," Jane said. "And she was in her lap."

"Yikes," Bing said with a chuckle, handing the last dried dish to Lydia and putting the towel away. The three of them left a cleaner kitchen and joined everyone in the living room, both Mr. Bennet and Lydia joining Mrs. Bennet on the couch. A few moments later, Gigi returned from the bathroom looking a little weary. "Any lasting damage? Think you'll live?"

"Don't be mean! You're sounding too much like Fitz," Gigi sulked. "Nothing got on me."

Bing perched himself on the lip of the couch. "Jane, remember that time we were in Central Park and it happened to both of them?"

"Oh my god!" Jane laughed. "I had blocked that out. It was _so_ bad."

"I'll take your word for it," Gigi said, obviously not wanting them to elaborate. William walked back into the room and gave a comforting smile to his sister. He put an arm around her shoulder when he reached her and squeezed her upper arm.

"How are you doing?" William asked gently.

"I'm fine. I'm _fine_ ," Gigi shook her head. "It's not a big deal."

"You were actually pretty lucky. I had an incident with Eleanor last week and my shirt did not survive," William said.

"You get used to all sorts of things when you start havin' babies," Mrs. Bennet said. "After a while, nothin' fazes you."

"I can't recall how many times I was spit up on by you girls," Mr. Bennet said.

"Lydia here was always eatin' more than she should." Mrs. Bennet patted her daughter's thigh. "More than half the time, it would come right back up. Then she'd giggle like she did it on purpose."

"I still choose to believe she did," Mr. Bennet teased. Lydia scoffed and rolled her eyes.

"We're back!" Lizzie came walking in with Eleanor. She was in a new white onesie with the saying 'sweet as pie' with little pies above and below the writing. "She's all cleaned up, changed, and smells as good as new. She wants Gigi to know that she's very sorry for what she did. She didn't mean to. She let me know while we were in the nursery."

Gigi softened and made a little whimpering noise before making grabby hands. "Oh, I forgive her. Bring her back."

Lizzie laughed softly and handed her over before sidling against William's side. They exchanged a glance and smiled at each other as Gigi held Eleanor close to her chest, bouncing her slightly and talking quietly to her. Jane made the effort to get everyone's attention away from them and turned the volume up on the television a little. It worked and conversations dissolved into smaller groups.

"You know," Lizzie said to William after a few moments. "There's no denying one thing."

"What's that?" William asked.

"She definitely made her first Thanksgiving memorable."

* * *

 _Friday, November 23rd_

With Jane, Bing, and the twins flying home Saturday morning and Lizzie's parents leaving Saturday evening, they had to make the most of Friday. Lydia was able to switch days with a co-worker so she would be able to spend time with the family. Lizzie actually had nothing planned and was hoping for a more relaxing day. She was in for a surprise when her sisters and mom told her their intent to kidnap her for the morning to get manicures and pedicures. She left the room to get ready but William knew something was off with her and followed her. He saw the hesitation in her eyes when he walked in after her, closing the door behind them.

"What if something happens while I'm gone? I don't know if I should go," Lizzie said, her brows knitting with worry. William sighed and reached out, squeezing her shoulder gently.

"You deserve this break, Lizzie. After all the late nights and nursing Eleanor and everything else, I would think you'd jump at the chance for some 'you' time" William said. "You could think of this outing as practice for when you go back to work too."

"That's not for two more months," Lizzie grumbled.

"Lizzie," William said, looking her in the eyes. "Are you scared to leave her alone with me?"

"No!" she said quickly. "I don't doubt your ability to take care of Eleanor. You're amazing with her. I just haven't really left her for more than a few minutes at a time so far."

"You're anxious?"

"Very," Lizzie admitted, chewing on her bottom lip.

William gave her a sympathetic look and pulled her in for a hug, resting his chin on the top of her head and rubbing her back. "We'll be fine. There's breastmilk in the fridge, plenty of diapers, and I'll have two extra hands with Thomas and Bing. I have you and 911 on speed dial."

Lizzie exhaled with relief as she pulled back, briefly closing her eyes when he kissed her forehead.

"Am I being stupid?"

"No," William said vehemently. "We've read about this. You and Eleanor have built up this wonderful bond so of course it's going to affect you. I feel it whenever I go out to do errands."

"You do?"

"Yea. You don't notice how many times I check in when I'm out?" William asked.

"I'm used to it, I guess," Lizzie said with a sheepish smile. "I like that you do it."

"It's hard to leave you two for any amount of time. I feel immense relief when I get back because I can see my girls again," William explained. "It's only a couple hours, Lizzie. Besides, it's the nail place a couple blocks away so you're, at most, five minutes from us."

"You all did that on purpose," Lizzie said as it dawned on her.

"We did," William replied with a smile. "I can check in with you every so often, if you want. Send a picture every twenty minutes."

"Maybe a bit overboard with the pictures," Lizzie snorted. "Checking in is helpful, at least."

"I will," William said and then checked his phone. "Gigi is going to be meeting you ladies there, just to let you know. You're going to have a good time, Lizzie. It's pretty much been the three of us for these past weeks. Won't it nice to have some pampering time?"

"Yea, it will," Lizzie said, the corner of her lips twitching up.

"It's a good thing I didn't suggest a spa _day_ ," William said with a twinkle in his eyes.

"We'll work our way up to that," Lizzie said lightly. He smiled and leaned in to kiss each corner of her mouth. He nipped at her lips and something awoke in her, making her want more. She ran her hands up his chest and grabbed fistfuls of his shirt to pull him in closer as she deepened the kiss. He slid his arms around her and pressed his hands to her back, holding her against him. She hummed against his lips and they lingered when they finally broke apart. They stayed there for a moment and she saw the mischief in his eyes, feeling a tiny thrill from the exchange.

"That was nice," William said, his voice husky.

Lizzie stared at his lips for a fraction before making eye contact. "Just my way of showing you how thankful I am."

She cleared her throat and stepped away. "I should get ready. I want to nurse Eleanor before we leave. Would you let them know?"

"Sure thing," William said as he headed for the bedroom door. He paused and glanced back at her. "Lizzie? We'll be right here when you get back."

"I'm counting on it," Lizzie smiled.

* * *

Lizzie enjoyed the time with her family and she realized she had nothing to worry about. She felt refreshed from getting her hands and feet massaged and was glad everybody thought of it. They picked up lunch for the whole family on the way home and they were only gone for a couple hours total.

Lizzie and William spent the rest of the day with the family and Eleanor was eating up the attention she was getting from everybody. Gigi wasn't able to stay but the rest of them went to a park after lunch to soak up the sun. Lizzie, Jane, Mr. and Mrs. Bennet sat on blankets, chatting and playing with Eleanor while everybody else ran around with the twins. The twins' Frisbee skills had improved tenfold since William and Bing had taught them the year prior. Charlie was still having issues with his aim but he was more patient than before. Once the clouds began to roll in and Eleanor became fussier, they decided to head back home. Jane and Bing put the twins down for a nap and Lizzie retreated with the baby to nurse her.

They had a quiet evening in, wrapping up a good day. They ate Thanksgiving leftovers, shared pictures of Eleanor, and talked through the evening. When Jane and Bing called it a night, it took them a while to leave, knowing they wouldn't see each other for a while. Christmas morning was reserved for opening presents on Domino but they would be spending the holiday with Bing's parents. Lydia, Mr. and Mrs. Bennet followed suit and Lizzie and William spent the rest of the evening with their daughter, all too happy to finally have time alone.

* * *

Saturday was much quieter than the past week. Lizzie's parents were still around, but they mainly wanted to help around the house and get as much time with Eleanor as they could before they headed back home.

Lizzie and William were grateful for her parents' extended visit and they were actually sad to see them go - up until when Mrs. Bennet asked when they were planning to add to the family. Granted, she had also posed the same question to Jane and Bing when the twins were circling her legs. Lizzie knew her mother was thrilled over her grandkids but figured it was ingrained in her to ask when more were coming.

After her parents left and got on the road, it was back to the three of them. They were exhausted from having people over every day for hours on end for the past five days. It was wonderful to see everybody but they needed peace and quiet. Even Eleanor seemed to sense it and fell asleep in Lizzie's arms as soon as she made herself comfortable on the couch next to William to relax, bringing an end to her first big holiday.

* * *

 _Monday, November 26th_

Eleanor was one month old exactly and there were already glimpses of who she was becoming. She had gained a pound and two ounces over the last four weeks, bringing her just past seven pounds, and had grown half an inch. She smiled constantly in her sleep, occasionally giggled, and loved taking naps on her parents' chests but she always slept the longest when she was with William. She was a big cuddler, loved bath time, and being swaddled, but was indifferent to tummy time. She hated dirty diapers but loved getting her diaper changed and always stared. In the last few days, she had begun to lift and support her head for a few seconds at a time. Her eyes were still greyish-blue and they were starting to follow moving objects. She was now cooing and gurgling whenever Lizzie and William played with her.

As for Lizzie and William, they couldn't be happier or prouder parents. Were they exhausted from the late nights? Of course they were. It took a couple weeks to adjust to the midnight and three am feedings. Now, Eleanor was starting to sleep five hours through the night and it was all about the timing of when to put her to bed. Their mornings started out a bit earlier than before but they were early risers already.

William and Lizzie celebrated Eleanor's one-month milestone at home with just the three of them. Eleanor was in a cuddly mood from the time she woke up, perfect for the gloomy weather outside. She fell asleep on Lizzie halfway through the morning while they were relaxing, rendering Lizzie incapable of getting anything done.

"She is her mother's daughter," William noted as he set a bottle of water down near Lizzie and sat down on the ground in front of her. "Always falling asleep on top of people."

"You always seem to enjoy the fact that I use you as a pillow," Lizzie pointed out.

"Oh, I am," William smiled. "But she still got that from you."

"I love that she did," Lizzie murmured, caressing Eleanor's head. "Cuddling is practically standard for this family. It's how I know she's ours."

"Really? It's not the fact that she has my nose or your pale skin or anything like that?" William teased. Lizzie snorted and gently smacked him.

"Shut it, you," Lizzie half-heartedly warned.

"I apologize," William said, giving her a quick kiss. "May I make it up to you? What would you like for lunch? I'll go out and get you whatever you want."

William was gone just long enough that Eleanor woke up and Lizzie nursed and changed her. By the time he came back, Lizzie was sitting on the floor and watching Eleanor while she had her tummy time on the couch. Not only did he have the food he went out for but he had a small bouquet of daisies with a wax number one tucked between them and a container from Lizzie's favorite bakery. Lizzie was taken by surprise and her face softened at his sweet gesture. She should have realized he would have done something.

"Oh, Will," Lizzie said softly as he set the food on the kitchen counter, grabbing something from a drawer and putting it in his pocket. Then he walked into the living room to join them, putting the container down on the coffee table.

"I did," William said, sitting on the floor next to Lizzie and handing the bouquet to her.

"Daisies?"

"They were the most age-appropriate," William said. "They symbolize innocence and childhood amongst other things."

"They're perfect," Lizzie said, smelling them. "Even if this little one has no idea what they are."

"She will," William replied confidently, focusing on Eleanor as she gurgled from the couch.

"Did you see what Daddy got you? It's your first bouquet of flowers!" Lizzie said in her sweet voice, laying them down next to Eleanor. They watched as she lifted her head for a few seconds and cooed at the flowers before dropping her head back down the couch. "Is this going to be a regular occurrence?"

"The flowers or celebrating each month?"

"Both," Lizzie replied, looking at her husband. She could clearly see the spark in his eyes.

"Flowers are always a must for my girls," William said. "And yes. At least until she turns one. Then we celebrate each year."

"We're already becoming the overly proud parents who celebrate and capture everything," Lizzie commented.

"Becoming? Who is dangerously close to running out of space on her phone because she takes pictures of every outfit her daughter wears and every time she's napping?" William asked playfully.

"Me," Lizzie said, rolling her eyes. "Fine. You win. I want to celebrate and not miss a moment."

"I thought so," William said, reaching behind him to grab the box before handing it to her. "This is for her first month. Plus something for you."

Lizzie opened the box to find a piece of her favorite chocolate cake as well as a cupcake with vanilla frosting next to it. Before she could say anything, William pulled a lone candle out of his pocket and held it up.

"Oh my god. I love you and your silliness," Lizzie murmured. He pulled out a box of matches he got from the kitchen and shook them. The noise caught Eleanor's attention and she gurgled, holding her head up for longer than before. Her whole body wobbled and she dropped her head to the couch again.

"You are getting so much stronger, baby girl!" Lizzie cheered, rubbing Eleanor's back. "So proud of you."

"It's amazing to watch her progress every day," William said in wonder. "And when she discovers something new? It's like we get to experience it for the first time too."

"I love it," Lizzie said, resting her head on his shoulder. William grabbed the cupcake before taking the box from Lizzie and putting it down next to him. He stuck the candle in the middle, struck a match to light it and then held it up between them.

They shared a glance before they gently blew the candle out, then turned their attention to Eleanor. "Here's to being one-month old, sweetheart. We love you so much," William said warmly.

* * *

 _Notes:_ _Can you believe Eleanor is already a month old? Time is going to fly for these two._

 _Let's thank the ever amazing Sarah for continuing to be the best beta I could ask for._

 _There's going to be a few extras on the dizzieslearningcurve blog over the next few days. I think I've got some good ones you're going to like :P_


	21. Home For The Holidays

_Summary: Everyone has something to celebrate this holiday season. It's Eleanor's first Christmas and it's memorable for everyone._

* * *

 _Notes: Another long wait but the good news is that you're in for a long chapter! It's even longer than the labor chapter. Whoops. Thank you all for the comments. I always appreciate them. Hope you enjoy this one!_

* * *

 _Thursday, December 6th_

Lizzie began to feel more and more like herself as the last days of November bled into the first days of December. Even with Eleanor being her middle of the night wake-up call and early morning alarm, her energy level was rising again and there was a sense of normalcy returning. While she waited to be cleared for more rigorous activities, she began to pick up the pace on her evening walks with William and Eleanor and they would last just a bit longer. She joined William in the mornings again to work on the easiest yoga positions while he continued improving on the advanced ones. When she finished her shorter routine, she would sit down with Eleanor and cheer William on as he kept on with his poses. The one time she pretended to speak in the baby's voice, he burst out laughing and landed on his back.

Lizzie and William were surprised how quickly time was passing and could barely believe it was already December. Lizzie was relieved that they were staying home for the holidays instead of traveling to their cabin in Tahoe. They both felt that Eleanor was too young for the drive and they would be too worried about the cold weather. Gigi, Fitz, and Brandon were all told they were welcome to go to the cabin without them like they had in previous years but they declined for the first time so they could be around for Eleanor's first Christmas. The one thing Lizzie and William were disagreeing on was presents. Lizzie wanted minimal gifts for Eleanor while William wanted to go all out. It was something William had mentioned in the morning and by the evening, they were having a full-blown heated discussion about it.

"Will, seriously. She's going to be eight weeks old. She's not going to remember a single thing you give her," Lizzie said.

"But it's her first Christmas. We have the ability to give her anything so why wouldn't we? She'll look back at pictures from this year and see what? A tree with nothing under it?" William argued. Lizzie sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose before glancing at their sleeping daughter in her swing seat.

"I'm not saying we give her _nothing_. I'm saying that we be reasonable about it. You know my parents are going to give her too much and so is the rest of the family. Our friends too. We give her the important gifts. Her first stocking, her first Christmas ornament, and a few toys," Lizzie said. "It's our first Christmas with Eleanor. We should be focusing on the fact that we're celebrating this as a real family now. This is what I was looking forward to the most. You, me, and our baby."

William's features softened and Lizzie knew she had won the argument. He shook his head and a little smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

"I want it all. I want her to be able to see that we did everything for her and gave her everything she deserved," William admitted. "But you're right. It should be about the three of us."

"I can't wait until she gets to that age where she understands the excitement of the holiday. When she's big enough that we can stuff the bottom of the tree with too many presents or she comes running into our room way too early in the morning and jumps on the bed, yelling at us to get up so she can open presents. When she can hang her stocking up herself and help us decorate the tree. When she can help us _pick_ the tree," Lizzie said, lighting up as she talked about it. "This year, we introduce her to the traditions you and I have created together. We give her what's important and we make new traditions with her."

"That sounds wonderful, Lizzie," William exhaled. "You know, she can still help us pick the Christmas tree this year."

"Yea? How can she help? Coo if she likes it and cry if she doesn't?"

"Obviously."

Lizzie let out a loud laugh and startled Eleanor, who threw her arms up as a reflex and jerked in her seat. Lizzie winced and she leaned down towards her, rubbing her belly in comfort and kissing her cheek.

"I'm sorry, Ellie. Daddy made Mommy laugh. It's okay, baby girl," Lizzie murmured softly. After a moment, Eleanor relaxed again and Lizzie tucked her back into her blanket. Lizzie sat back and returned her focus to William.

"So, I was thinking that we could go all out this year in decorating."

"We could get the same decorating company I use for the cabin," William suggested.

"That's no fun. We should decorate the place ourselves. It won't be as lavish as that but it will have that homey feel. Lights everywhere, garland on the staircase, and decorations wherever we can fit them," Lizzie said. "And the biggest tree we can fit in this place."

"The biggest one?" William raised an eyebrow.

Lizzie nodded quickly, a twinkle in her eyes. "Yep. Eleanor deserves the biggest and the best. Wasn't that your argument?"

* * *

 _Friday, December 7th_

Lizzie and William had decided to get started on Christmas decorations first thing in the morning. After he pulled the Christmas boxes out of the storage closet, they went through them and made a list of anything else they needed before going out to pick their Christmas tree. After Lizzie finished nursing Eleanor, William came in to ask if she needed any help. She put him in charge of replenishing the diaper bag and finding the holiday-themed onesies for her. He put a small pile on the changing table while Lizzie was changing Eleanor into a fresh diaper and he returned to filling the diaper bag.

"Okay, baby girl. Let's see what Daddy picked for you!" Lizzie said, beaming down at Eleanor. The first one had a snowman's face on it and she held it up for a moment, then put it to the side. The next one was red and a reindeer was popping out on the side, with a big red nose. "Do you like this one, Ellie?"

Eleanor waved her arms around and kicked her legs, making an excited breathy noise.

"I like it too," Lizzie said happily, putting it to the side to check out the rest of the selection. She grabbed the next one and held it up, immediately laughing. "Was this from Fitz?"

William looked over his shoulder to see Lizzie holding up a white onesie that said 'I sleigh' and a reindeer wearing black-rimmed glasses. He chuckled. "Who else could have possibly given that to us?"

"Nobody," Lizzie shook her head, turning back to Eleanor and holding it up for her. "Do you see what your Uncle Fitz gave you? He's a silly man. Yes, he is. A very silly man!"

Lizzie watched as her daughter's eyes lit up and her face brightened before she let out a happy gurgle and her mouth opened into a big and crooked smile.

"Oh my god," Lizzie gasped, bringing a hand to her chest. "Is that a real smile I see? Are you smiling at me, Eleanor?"

"What? What happened?" William appeared by her side within seconds.

"She just smiled!" Lizzie told him excitedly, feeling a total rush.

"Seriously?"

"Absolutely," Lizzie said confidently. William turned his attention to their daughter, who was still moving her arms around and looking up at them with those curious eyes of hers.

"Are you smiling for Mommy? Did you just smile, sweetheart?" William asked Eleanor in a warm tone reserved solely for her. He reached out and traced a finger down her little nose before bopping the tip and making a sound effect to go with it. She flailed her arms around and her face lit up once more, giving them both a big gummy grin. "Oh wow. Look at you, pretty girl! Smiling so big for us already."

Lizzie whipped out her phone and they spent the next few minutes making silly faces to try and capture another smile. It took a while but when William picked her up and kissed her all over her face, she gave out a little coo and one more smile long enough for Lizzie to get it. She felt overjoyed to witness to her first real smile and she could barely contain the heart-bursting love that she was feeling.

"I could do this all day, just to see that smile one more time," William said before putting Eleanor back down on the changing table and grinning at Lizzie. She could see the same joy in his expression. She was so glad that he was there at the right time to see the milestone moment.

"But we have things to do," Lizzie said with a happy sigh, bending down and kissing Eleanor's cheeks. She ultimately chose a white onesie that said 'Santa's Little Helper' with a Santa hat above the first word. "We have to get you dressed! We're getting you your first Christmas tree. Isn't that exciting, baby girl? It's a big day."

* * *

After Lizzie and William stopped to buy some more lights and decorations, they headed to their favorite place to get their tree. It was an overcast and somewhat chilly day but they bundled Eleanor up and put on a knitted cap that Jane had sent them. Lizzie also wrapped Eleanor up in the Moby wrap, keeping her close to her body but keeping her hands free.

As they walked inside, they went past the smaller trees without a second glance and spent some time perusing through the next size up. It was some time before they began to seriously look and compare the different types of trees available. William stood between two different trees while Lizzie compared them, walking around them to find the imperfections.

"I don't know. Your choice is taller but looks skinnier. Mine is more tree-shaped," Lizzie said.

"Tree shaped?" William arched his neck to look between the two.

"Yea. You know…" Lizzie mimicked the shape of a triangle with one hand while keeping the other lightly pressed against Eleanor's back. "Tree-shaped."

"Well, what does our dear daughter think?" William playfully asked.

"This dear one fell asleep a few minutes ago," Lizzie told him with a shrug. She glanced down to see her fast asleep, her left cheek pressed against her chest and her lips parted slightly.

"Tree shopping is exhausting," William chuckled, looking to his right. Lizzie saw a spark of something in his eyes and he abandoned both trees, walking away but silently beckoning her with his finger.

"What? Are you serious? Where are you going?" Lizzie asked in confusion, following behind him. He ducked past a tree to another row but Lizzie had to take the long way around to the next row, not wanting to wake Eleanor up by brushing through two trees. When she caught up to him, he had a big grin on his face and he gestured to the tree next to him.

"We're getting this one," William said simply. It was perfect. It was tall, full with no discernible gaps between branches, and it was exactly the right shape she had described just a few moments ago.

"If Eleanor was awake, she would absolutely approve," Lizzie said. "Think it will fit?"

"That's the perk of being on the top floor. High ceilings," William said. "It will."

Lizzie smiled and eagerly nodded. "Let's get it."

* * *

The rest of the day was reserved for getting their place ready for the holidays. William took care of getting the tree in just the right place, after carrying it up to the apartment with the help of the doorman, while Lizzie watched his efforts from the couch while nursing a very hungry Eleanor. Once her daughter was satisfied and put down for a nap, Lizzie helped him decorate it and the rest of the apartment. She really felt the holiday spirit as William put the tree topper on top. Eleanor woke up just in time for them to light the tree and gave her parents another little smile.

After dinner and a bath for Eleanor, she was put down for the night in the nursery. Since she was sleeping longer throughout the night, they finally felt comfortable enough to move her from their bedside to her crib. It was only her third night in the room but she appeared to be adjusting just fine. She usually woke up once more around midnight so they'd taken to staying up until then and unwinding, sometimes together and sometimes doing their own thing. Tonight, they were spending the time spooning on the couch, with a fire going and a movie they were barely paying attention to on TV.

"We really did pick a great tree," Lizzie said.

"It's even better all decorated," William agreed, pulling her closer against him. Then he pressed a light kiss to her neck and she hummed in delight.

"It's still missing one vital thing," Lizzie pointed out. She grabbed his hand that was draped over her waist and laced her fingers with his.

"Eleanor's first Christmas ornament should be arriving in the next two days," William said. "And then it will be complete."

"Can't wait," Lizzie murmured, looking at the tree for a few moments. "Do you remember our first tree?"

"Of course," William said. "It was our first Christmas at home and it was just before we got married. You wanted that tree to be perfect because it was our first. You also helped me find those videotapes and my mother's tree topper." William nuzzled his nose just below her ear, "Which I am quite grateful for."

"I'm glad we found those," Lizzie said, squeezing his hand. "So much has changed since then."

"For the better, I'd hope."

Lizzie turned onto her back so she could look at him. "There's a tiny human in the other room that proves it."

She watched as his eyes lit up just at the mention of their daughter. That look was the same kind of rush that went through her whenever she thought about Eleanor. William was the one who showed her the meaning of true love but her daughter made her understand what unconditional love was.

"You know what really made today so great?" William began and Lizzie nodded.

"The smile."

"It's so amazing," William said, his voice full of warmth. "Our little girl can smile now."

"It makes me feel like I'm actually doing something right," Lizzie told him. "I was able to make her smile. It's like she's telling me that she likes me for more than just my boobs."

William burst out laughing. "I mean, they are rather nice."

"Will!" Lizzie smacked his arm before she started laughing along with him.

"I'm allowed to admire. Besides, you know she loves you for more than just that. You're her _mother_ ," William told her. "She's still very young and we're barely scratching the surface of everything she's capable of. Dr. Gates said she's right on track with her development. We've got so much ahead of us."

Lizzie exhaled. "So, you said something about admiring me?"

William mouth's tipped up into the beginnings of a smirk and waggled his eyebrows. "Would you like to know what else I admire?"

"What exactly would that be, Mr. Darcy?"

"I'm a very big fan of your lips, Mrs. Darcy. They're quite enticing."

Lizzie snickered and grabbed his shirt, pulling him down to her. "Admire away."

* * *

 _Wednesday, December 12th_

"Alright, Lizzie. Go ahead and sit back up for me," Dr. Gates said, pulling off her gloves and tossing them in the trash. She was at her six-week post-partum appointment while William was at home taking care of Eleanor. He had offered to come with her but she told him it was just a check-up and to stay home. "You've healed nicely. I see you're already down to your pre-pregnancy weight too."

"William and I have been going on walks with Eleanor in the evening. I'm not really one to sit around and wait but I didn't want to push it either," Lizzie explained.

"It's a good habit, Lizzie. Even light exercise can help with fighting postpartum depression," Dr. Gates said. "Luckily for you, I'm clearing you for everything else. You have no more restrictions."

"Oh really?" Lizzie said, surprised that she didn't feel immediately relieved. "None at all?"

"You ease into whatever you're comfortable with. You don't have to rush," Dr. Gates told her and Lizzie nodded absently. "But I can see some hesitation in your face. What is it?"

"Well. It's not so much hesitation as being a bit nervous about sex." This was part of the real reason why she didn't want William to join her. She didn't want him making it a bigger deal than it was. "It's more about just having sex. We've had big breaks before for other reasons but this time feels different. I read that it could be uncomfortable."

Dr. Gates smiled sympathetically. "Sex after giving birth is often not the same as before and it's usually why we recommend waiting until you've completely healed, which you have. Yes, it's true that it can be uncomfortable but you don't have to let it be. Lubrication helps. Some of my patients have told me that it's actually better because they take their time and set a romantic mood. "

"That's easy to say when there's not a baby in the house," Lizzie joked. "Even if she is basically sleeping through the night."

"Having a sex life when you're a new parent can be challenging," Dr. Gates chuckled. "I would talk to William. Have a date night. Take some time for yourselves. Whatever you decide, you should use condoms since you're breastfeeding. I would wait until Eleanor is six months old before you get back on your birth control."

"That was going to be my next question," Lizzie said.

"That's what I'm here for, Lizzie."

"Actually, I have a couple more, if you don't mind."

* * *

Lizzie stopped by their favorite bistro to pick up lunch before getting home. As she walked in, she heard William before she saw him.

"Guess who's home, sweetheart? Mommy's home!"

"Hello," she greeted in a sing-song voice. As she came down the entryway, she saw that the coffee table was pushed away from its usual spot in the living room. She found Eleanor on her play mat laying on her stomach and William was directly across from her, mirroring her pose and resting his chin on his arms. It was a sweet sight to see him this way. She wondered if she would ever stop feeling the butterflies in her stomach from watching William being so attentive and caring with Eleanor. She sincerely hoped she wouldn't.

"Hey, beautiful," William smiled as he saw her, pulling himself up to his elbows.

"What's happening here?" Lizzie asked, putting the food down on the coffee table. She lowered herself next to William and rested against the couch.

"We are having some much-needed tummy time," William replied. "I was just reading an article that suggests getting down to her level to make tummy time more enjoyable. It also suggested varying tummy time positions so she's not just on the floor every time."

"Sounds interesting," Lizzie said. "Is it helping?"

"She's smiled at me a couple times," William said proudly. "So I'd say yes."

"I want to read that article," Lizzie said.

"Already sent it to you."

She shifted and got down on her stomach, mirroring William's position. "It's a good thing your parents like doing research, Ellie! You're going to be spoiled in more ways than one."

She reached out and brushed her hand across Eleanor's head, smoothing down her hair that was standing up.

"It won't help. I've tried a few times," William commented. "It's a wild hair day."

"She's still adorable," Lizzie said with a smile and he nodded in agreement.

William nudged her shoulder. "How was the doctor?"

"Good. I am officially clear to do any and all exercise I was doing before," Lizzie said. "And she assuaged some of my concerns so I feel better."

"Concerns?" William asked, his brows furrowing.

Lizzie bit her bottom lip. "You know, it's been a while for the two of us…"

"Lizzie, you know I would never pressure you before you're ready," William said sincerely.

"It's not that. I've missed you," Lizzie assured, leaning into him. "My body went through so much so I'm not sure what to expect but I realized as I was talking to Dr. Gates that I've really been in my head about it all. I should have talked to you about it immediately. You always put my needs above yours but I still can't help but feel a bit nervous about it all," Lizzie said. "She suggested it might be good to set the mood or have a date night."

Lizzie saw a familiar look in William's eyes that gave her a different kind of fluttering feeling.

"Leave it to me, okay?" William said.

"I had a feeling you'd say that," Lizzie murmured.

"You know me too well," William echoed her earlier words. Eleanor grunted and lifted her head, looking at them curiously. William started making silly faces at her and Lizzie watched him, loving every moment.

This was a completely different man from the one she first met. She wondered what the William from six years ago would say if he was told that he'd be sprawled out on the floor, talking in a silly voice and making adorable faces just to get a smile out of his daughter. Eleanor seemed to be feeding off that energy because she finally cooed and smiled at them before dropping her head back to the mat.

"There's my happy girl!" Lizzie boasted. She pulled herself up to a sitting position before picking Eleanor up, showering her face with kisses. The baby gurgled in delight. Lizzie kissed her one more time on the tip of her nose before propping her up in her lap. William sat back up and grabbed a nearby toy, playing with it in front of their inquisitive daughter.

"Adam called me while you were gone. Reminded us about the play on Saturday first, then said that they landed and they were on their way."

Adam had come over a couple weeks ago to talk to them about wanting to do something special for Lydia's birthday. While it wasn't a milestone birthday for her, it was her first with him and he wanted to celebrate it in style. After they all put their heads together and the rest of the group lent a hand, they had the perfect plan. Lydia was being treated to a two-day trip down to southern California to go to both Disneyland parks. They took care of the transportation and accommodations, Fitz got them reservations for Club 33 for dinner, and Adam took care of the rest.

"I talked to her while I was waiting to be called. Lydia was _thrilled_. She had no idea and was saying which rides she was the most exciting about getting on," Lizzie said. "She's going to have a great birthday."

"She is," William said, smiling as their daughter grabbed one of his fingers. "I can't wait to bring Eleanor to Disney."

"Me neither," Lizzie said. "But not until she's big enough to remember and be able to ride whatever she wants. My parents took us when we were very young and I barely recall meeting Mickey."

"And here I thought you remembered everything," William teased.

"Not from before I was five!" Lizzie laughed.

"Don't worry. She has two great parents who will make sure all our trips will be memorable."

Lizzie smiled at him. "I don't doubt that."

* * *

 _Tuesday, December 18th_

Saturday had marked the first holiday event for the Darcy family. While they were keeping their social calendar light this year with Eleanor, there were still a few parties and Christmas to look forward to. Adam had invited everybody to see him in _A Christmas Carol_ and it was a big success, despite Eleanor sleeping through most of it. She did wake up just in time for curtain call while everybody gave the cast a standing ovation. The group caught up with Lizzie and William for a short time after the play and they finally got to witness Eleanor's smile in person.

It also gave William and Lizzie the opportunity to talk to Gigi about babysitting for them so they could go out. Though she knew they would be out for the whole night, he wouldn't tell her many details until this morning. He said to wear a nice dress and to be ready by six pm, which gave her a familiar thrill at the mystery of it all.

As it got later in the afternoon, nervous excitement was building up in the pit of her stomach. It would be the first time that they would both be away from Eleanor at the same time and it would be the longest time yet. Gigi had already shown how great she was with her niece so she knew she would be in good hands. Still, it was hard not to worry a little. As soon as she finished packing everything she needed, she wrote down their nightly routine for Gigi to calm her nerves a bit.

Needing an overnight bag told her exactly what to expect for the night but she knew he was going to take his time until he made sure she was ready. In the past week, she had truly craved the weight of him on top of her, the way he felt inside her, and the sound of his voice in the heat of the moment. He had caught her openly ogling him as he worked out in the morning and undress for the shower. She was ready again.

She needed something that made herself feel sexy. Luckily, she had just the thing and it was all thanks to Jane. She made her a gorgeous dress as a gift for her birthday last year but she had yet to wear it. It had been sitting in the closet hidden from view in a garment bag and it was just begging to be unveiled. When she unzipped it, there were details of the dress that she had forgotten about and she smiled to herself. It was perfect.

William took a shower while Lizzie nursed so the bathroom would be free when she needed it. She was just finishing up when William came in, only partially dressed with well-fitted black slacks and nothing else. She refrained from licking her lips. He smirked as he took Eleanor from her, shooing her off to get ready. If he was going to play that game, she would do the same. She grabbed a few lingerie items from a drawer before taking everything to the bathroom.

When she got out of the shower, she could hear William slightly muffled by the bathroom door. He was clearly talking to Eleanor by the tone of his voice. She peaked through the door and saw their daughter on the bed, propped up with the boppy pillow and William holding up two different shirts. He was asking her which one she liked more and Lizzie smiled at his playfulness before closing the door and getting dressed.

Her dress was nearly backless, dipping down in a deep V that hit her lower back. Thankfully, Jane had recommended a backless bra that still gave her some support. She didn't want to risk going braless while she was breastfeeding. She matched the black bra with lacy black boy shorts, a garter belt, and thigh high black stockings with a back seam. She glanced at herself in the mirror and loved what she saw. It was the most confident and sexy she had felt in forever and couldn't wait to see the look on her husband's face.

Lizzie slipped on the green lace dress and zipped it up. The skirt ended just below her knees and had a fullness to it that gave her an even curvier look, especially with her newfound cleavage. She put on a little makeup, wanting to look natural, and started to curl her hair the way William liked. When she was nearly finished, there was a knock on the door.

"It's unlocked."

"Lizzie, which tie should I wear? Eleanor is no help and—" William stopped in the middle of his sentence she saw his reflection's eyes widen and his jaw drop. "Elizabeth. Wow…"

She looked over her shoulder and gave him a little smile as he walked up behind her.

"You like it?"

"Like it? I _love_ it," William practically growled. He bent down and kissed the curve of her shoulder. "Perhaps we should skip dinner and go straight to dessert."

"Oh no, Mr. Darcy. I was promised wooing," Lizzie said, turning around and giving him a pointed look. "And I expect wooing."

"Wooing you shall get then, love," William said softly, kissing her cheek. "You are positively stunning."

"Thank you," Lizzie said. "You had a reason for coming in here?"

"Oh! Yes. Which tie should I wear? Our daughter is not too vocal with her opinion." William held up a black tie and a red tie against his white button up.

"Definitely red. We'll completely the holiday color palette that way," Lizzie told him.

"Thank you," William said, giving her a kiss. "Also, Gigi should be here in a few minutes."

"Alright," Lizzie said as he started to walk out. "Will? I'm really looking forward to tonight."

"Me too." William said. "Especially since I'm lucky enough to be accompanied by the most beautiful woman I know."

* * *

Lizzie was putting her and William's overnight bags and her breast pump bag at the end of the hallway when there was a knock at the door. William was finishing up getting ready so she answered it, happy to see Gigi.

"Hey! Whoa, hot mama!" Gigi greeted and Lizzie laughed. "Look at you!"

"Thank you. I tried," Lizzie said, giving her a twirl when she asked.

"I _love_ the back. Is that a Jane original?"

"It is!" Lizzie replied, ushering her in.

"She really knows how to make some beautiful dresses. Wow," Gigi said, giving her a one-armed hug. "You're obviously ready for your sex date."

"Gigi!" Lizzie cried.

"What?" Gigi said with a toying look. "I'm staying over, you're going out all night, and you're dressed to the nines. It's totally a sex date."

"You're terrible!" Lizzie shook her head as they walked down the entryway. "How would you like it if I asked for the dirty details of your neighbor?"

"There are none," Gigi said, putting her bag on the couch. "The neighbor is no more."

"What? No! What happened?"

"Well, not no more, but his equally attractive girlfriend moved in," Gigi shrugged. "It's fine. I've met her a few times. She's _so_ nice. She's an aspiring baker and has already pawned some of her goodies off on me."

"At least you're making a friend out of this," Lizzie said.

"Exactly!" Gigi laughed before clapping her hands together. "So, big date for you two."

"Thank you so much for doing this. I wrote down Eleanor's schedule and both our numbers, the hospital's and doctor's number, and the emergency number," Lizzie said, grabbing the list and handing it to her.

"Lizzie…"

"And there's breastmilk in the fridge. There's plenty. Especially if she gets hungry after her late feeding."

"Lizzie."

"She's started sleeping through the night in the last week but if you put her to bed too soon—"

"Lizzie!" Gigi interrupted her. "Eleanor is going to be in great hands. I'm an awesome babysitter and I've been here enough times to see your nightly routine. I think we can survive one night without you and William."

"I know but…"

"I wouldn't have asked Gigi to look after her if I didn't trust her," William said, walking in with Eleanor in his arms. He was fully dressed in a fitted black suit with white button down and red tie. Calling him handsome was an understatement.

"I trust her," Lizzie said adamantly. "It's just our first time leaving her overnight though."

"I know how you feel," William said, adjusting Eleanor and kissing her forehead. "I'm going to miss this little girl the whole time we're gone."

"Hopefully not the _whole_ time," Gigi joked. "This night is about the two of you. Have a little fun."

"That's the plan," William said.

"We're going to have the best time, aren't we, Ellie? Yes, we are!" Gigi made a couple silly faces at her until Eleanor reciprocated with a little smile. Gigi brightened and looked at William and Lizzie in satisfaction.

"See? She loves me. We're going to be great."

William put an arm around Lizzie's waist and she felt calmer, knowing Eleanor was going to be cared for properly. She saw him pull his phone out from the corner of her eye.

"We should get going. Our car is here," William said.

"You got us a car? Of course you got us a car," Lizzie said. She leaned in close to Eleanor and gave her a few kisses on her cheek and forehead. "See you later, baby girl. We'll be back in the morning. I love you."

William said his own goodbyes and then handed Eleanor over to his sister. "She is freshly changed and Lizzie fed her less than an hour ago so you should have a happy baby on your hands. _Don't_ hesitate to call if you have any questions."

"I won't," Gigi promised. "Now shoo! Go have fun."

William picked up their bags and chuckled, tugging on Lizzie's elbow while she waved goodbye to their daughter.

"We're going! See you tomorrow!"

"And not a moment sooner!"

* * *

Lizzie tried to guess where they were going when she noticed they were heading towards the bay but he simply smiled. He didn't even cave when she started poking his side and pleading with him. William kept his secret of where they were going until the very end. As the car finally pulled up to The Waterbar, Lizzie was happy he did. It was a wonderful surprise. They had never been but she had wanted to go for a while. The restaurant was known for their seafood, their waterfront location right near the Bay Bridge, and the views.

"Shall we?" William asked, holding his hand out after he opened her door. Lizzie took his hand and stepped out of the car, thanking him his gesture.

"I feel like I haven't had proper seafood in almost a year," Lizzie said.

"And that's why we're here," William said, resting his hand on her lower back as he led them to the restaurant. Lizzie felt goosebumps as his thumb brushed against her bare back and she held back a sigh. It was such a simple touch but it made her feel so much. William gave their name to the hostess and she found their reservation, grabbing two menus and leading them to their table. He managed to reserve a table by the window facing the Bay Bridge and near the aquarium pillars. William pulled out her chair and she gave him a grateful look before they both sat down. The hostess gave them menus and told them their waiter would be with them in a moment.

"Look at that beautiful view," Lizzie exhaled.

"I could state the obvious," William began, looking pointedly at her. "But you already know."

"Sweet talker," Lizzie laughed softly, reaching out for his hand. He smiled and entwined their fingers, caressing her wrist.

"So." William broke his gaze from hers and looked down at the menu. "What should we order?"

* * *

Dinner was even better than Lizzie expected. William ensured that it was a very romantic and memorable evening. He ordered one of their favorite bottles of wine and one glass was enough to help her relax and keep her mind from worrying too much about Eleanor. She ordered the Alaskan halibut and he ordered Maine lobster. It was a large enough portion that he didn't stop her from picking off his plate. They even managed to find topics to talk about that didn't revolve around their daughter. They shared a dark chocolate dessert that was heavenly and Lizzie had to stop herself from licking the plate. After William paid, they went for a short walk along the wharf and stopped to watch the Bay Lights along the bridge.

"This is wonderful," Lizzie said, watching the animated display moving across the bridge. William was behind her with his arms wrapped around her waist.

"It is. I've never really stopped to watch before," William said. "I'm glad we found the time."

"Thank you for planning this," Lizzie said, glancing over her shoulder at him. "I feel a little guilty for saying so but I think we really needed a night for ourselves."

"I had this conversation with Gigi because she helped me with tonight and talked me through my own guilt. I _love_ Eleanor and I'll do anything for her but we have to take care of ourselves too. We shouldn't put our marriage on the backburner just because we've become parents," William said. "We deserve a night out every so often. We have a whole line-up of babysitters ready and willing to watch her so we can have a few hours."

"To work on our relationship?"

"I'd like to think it doesn't need any work," William said. "We just need the time to keep it as strong as it is."

Lizzie nodded in agreement, leaning into him more. He kissed her temple and rested his chin on top of her head. They watched the light show for a few more minutes, seeing them twinkling on the water. There was a gust of wind that made Lizzie shiver.

"What do you say we head to our next destination?" William suggested.

"And where would that be?"

William bent down and kissed the tip of her ear before whispering, "You'll get nothing out of me, Mrs. Darcy."

* * *

Lizzie was surprised that she began to feel nervous again once they got back in the car. William must have sensed the change in her emotions because he reached for her hand and squeezed it, giving her a gentle smile. She leaned into him and he kissed the top of her head. They drove through Union Square and it was transformed for the holidays, complete with a skating rink in the middle and a giant Christmas tree. They pulled up and stopped in front of the Sir Francis Drake Hotel and she looked at him curiously, wondering what the significance of the hotel was. He helped her out of the car and she went to grab her bag from the trunk but he pulled her back gently.

"It's not what you think," William said, trying and failing not to look smug.

"It's not, huh?" Lizzie asked and he shook his head. She smiled and thanked the doorman, who welcomed them and held the door open for them. William led them into the hotel and up the grand staircase, covered in garland and Christmas lights. The style and the opulence of the hotel was gorgeous, especially with it all decked out for the holidays. They turned left past the lobby bar that featured a large red statue of Sir Francis Drake with presents near his feet.

She was distracted by the large Christmas tree on the next level as they headed for the elevators and missed the obvious sign telling her where they were going. Whatever he had planned, he was excited about it. The elevator doors slid open and they stepped inside before William pressed the button for the twenty-first floor.

"The Starlight Room?" Lizzie asked, pleasantly surprised.

William put an arm around her waist. "You didn't think we'd just be going out to dinner, did you?"

"Actually, yes," Lizzie admitted.

"We're all dressed up and it's our first night out in a while. I figured we could go dancing and the Starlight Room features jazz on Tuesday nights," William told her.

"You asked to be wooed. That fits that criteria, don't you think?"

* * *

The Starlight Room was all decked out and astonishingly not too busy. William had reserved a booth near the windows and close to the dance floor. The view was spectacular from so high up especially with the city all lit up for the holidays. They ordered drinks and spent some time listening to the live jazz. There seemed to be no hurry between them and Lizzie even found the time to excuse herself for a short time to pump. When she returned, William led her to the dance floor and they danced for the next hour.

The last couple songs they danced to were slow tunes and William pulled her in close. He kept lightly stroking her back with his fingers and it was getting her more and more wound up from it. She pulled him in for a kiss and they got caught up in it enough that they were doing more swaying than dancing. By the time the song ended, she was more than ready to call it a night.

William paid the bill and they grabbed their things, heading back down to the car. She couldn't remember the last time they had been so handsy and he wasn't playing fair, kissing the spot just below her ear. She didn't mind in the slightest. The drive wasn't long and thankfully William knew it because he stopped just before they reached their final destination. The car pulled up to the front entrance of The Fairmont and William grinned at her when he saw the look on her face. He got out of the car and grabbed their bags from the trunk before helping Lizzie out of the car. William graciously tipped the driver and thanked him for the evening.

"I can't believe you picked this place," Lizzie said.

"We spent our first night here as husband and wife," William said. "I thought it fitting all things considered."

"Too bad Bing sold Netherfield. We could have gone there," Lizzie joked.

"I thought about it. The people he sold it to are turning it into a bed and breakfast but they're still renovating. They won't be open for another six months," William told her as they walked under the awning and up the entrance steps.

"Shame," Lizzie said, stopping when they walked in. The last time they had been here was after the holidays so they missed out on all the decorations. The Fairmont went all out. Poinsettias were all over the lobby, garland and lights were strung around the open doorways, and there was a huge Christmas tree in the center of the lobby that was tall enough to almost reach the high ceilings. What was most impressive was the two-story gingerbread house, made with real gingerbread, frosting, and hard candy. There was a picket fence surrounding the house, fake snow in the front yard, and several Christmas trees in the yard and on the second level. There was even a working train track with a train going in and out of one section.

"This is amazing!" Lizzie gasped. "It's the size of a real house!"

"They do this every year but it gets bigger as time goes on," William said. "We should bring Eleanor here when she's big enough."

"Definitely," Lizzie agreed. "Should we check in?"

William pulled out an envelope and held it up. "Already did."

She stood up on her toes and kissed him, whispering 'thank you' as she pulled away. She slipped her hand in his and they headed for the elevators. They headed up to the fourth floor and he led them to their room near the end of the hall.

"I tried and failed to get our same room," William said, opening the door for her.

"It's not the room that matters," Lizzie told him and he visibly relaxed. She walked inside the parlor, seeing a vase of roses with an envelope leaning against it on the coffee table. She looked back at him. "Are those for me?"

"Maybe," William said, playing along.

Lizzie hurried past the plush chair and grabbed the card, taking a seat on the couch. She opened the envelope, closed with his personal seal, and he walked away into the bedroom to put away their stuff. The note was long, romantic, and perfectly William. He wrote about how much he loved her, how proud she constantly made him, and that he was even happier than the last time they stayed here. He told her his feelings about her being mother and his wife and it brought tears to her eyes. His love for her emanated off the pages and she already knew exactly where she'd keep it; with the very first letter he wrote her. She heard the sound of footsteps and she looked up to see William leaning against the wall, no longer wearing his jacket, shoes, or socks.

"Will…" Lizzie sighed, putting the letter down. She walked over to him, bringing her hands up to his neck and pulling him in for a kiss. He slid his arms around her waist to pull her in close and she hummed in delight. She deepened the kiss as his lips parted, running her tongue over his. She stood up on her toes to get closer to him and wrapped her arms around his neck, tangling her fingers through the back his hair. He picked her up off the ground and her shoes fell off as he backed up into the bedroom until he hit the bed. She broke off the kiss and they both gasped for air.

"So you liked the letter," William said and she laughed breathily, nodding.

"How you manage to write such a beautiful letter so effortlessly is beyond me. I'm blown away every time." Lizzie said, sliding her hands down to play with his tie. "Thank you for that and thank you for tonight. I don't have anything for you."

"Lizzie, you've given me everything," William murmured, pressing his forehead to hers. "So I should be thanking you."

"We could do this all night, Will," Lizzie said softly.

"Then let's do something else," William suggested. He closed the distance and began kissing her again. Lizzie gently tugged and loosened his tie while his lips moved across hers and she pulled the material off, letting it fall to the floor. She slid her hands up his body and began to unbutton his shirt, hating that her hands were shaking slightly. She wanted him so much but her nerves were still getting the best of her. After the amazing evening, the couple of drinks she had, and the letter, she was frustrated with her nervousness.

William must have sensed something because he ended the kiss and glanced down, watching her movements for a moment before grabbing her hands to stop her.

"Lizzie, we don't have to do anything you don't want to."

"But I _do_!" Lizzie said adamantly and William took a seat on the bed. "This whole night was better than I expected. Dinner was delicious and there were so many surprises and it was all leading up to here. It might sound silly but it all kind of feels like I'm experiencing my first time all over again. That's where the nerves are coming from."

"It doesn't sound silly at all. I know exactly what you mean. I felt like a teenager yesterday when I was buying condoms. I swear the cashier was smirking as he scanned them," William confessed and Lizzie let out a short burst of laughter. "The last time I bought condoms was the night you told me you loved me."

"That was a great night."

William reached out for her hand. "If you're not ready, I'll understand. I'll wait as long as you need me to. We could spend tonight watching television or sleeping for all I care. As long as I'm spending tonight with you, I'm happy."

With those words, it was like Lizzie could physically feel the pressure lifted and the nervousness melt away from her. This man sat before her and had planned this fantastic evening without a guarantee of anything all because he loved her so much. She knew at this moment that she wanted him more than anything else and she felt positively giddy.

"God, I love you." Lizzie kissed him roughly. He made a noise of surprise but reciprocated quickly. She reached behind her and unzipped her dress, pulling it off her shoulders and wiggling out of it before climbing into his lap. He brought his hands to her waist and his fingers dug into her skin. He broke off the kiss and she slowly slid her lips up his slightly stubbled jaw.

"Elizabeth," William breathed, pulling back to look at her. He ran his hands over the lace of her underwear and down her thighs, playing with her garter straps. His eyes darkened with desire and she felt her own in the pit of her belly.

"Surprise," Lizzie whispered.

William growled, grabbing her around the waist and standing up. She gasped and wrapped her legs tightly around him as he turned them around. He kneeled down onto the bed and moved closer to the headboard before laying her down. He untucked his shirt and unbuttoned the last few buttons before taking it off. This time, she didn't stop herself from licking her lips at the sight before her. She unbuckled his belt, pulling it from his belt loops and tossing it to the floor. He bent down and captured her lips, kissing her deeply while she clumsily unbuttoned and unzipped his pants. They laughed against each other's lips while they both worked to remove his pants, Lizzie pushing them down and William kicking them off.

Lizzie slid her hands down to his butt and pulled him in closer, moaning at the contact. She could feel him straining against the fabric of his boxer-briefs. The ache between her thighs pulsed just thinking about how good he was going to feel. Her body was waking up and it was doing it quickly. William pulled away and looked her in the eye for a moment, as if he was searching for something. After a moment, he smiled a crooked smile and it made her heart flutter. Then he slowly began to work his way down and past her neck, leaving a blazing hot trail of kisses. He pulled one strap of her bra down her arm and she grabbed his bicep, making him pause.

"Not yet," Lizzie breathed. He looked at her inquisitively and she elaborated. "Look. Don't touch. Not while I'm nursing."

"I can manage that, love," William said, kissing her softly. He moved down and resumed his trail of kisses, making a point to only kiss the valley between her breasts and still being attentive. She sighed as his hand skimmed down her side to her thigh, fingering the edge of the lace. He unclipped each strap and tugged at her stockings before sitting up on his knees. Lizzie lazily knocked one leg against his side as he rested her other leg on his shoulder, taking his time to remove her stocking and throwing it away. After pressing a few kisses to her ankle and up her calf, he lowered her leg to take her other, removing that stocking and repeating his actions.

He leaned over and grabbed her garter belt to take it off, dipping his fingers in her underwear to remove them at the same time. She lifted her hips to help him out as he slowly dragged them down. He knew how to make her antsy but comfortable at the same time. She had never been modest around him but this was the first time since giving birth that she was really naked around him.

If she had any worries about her body, he completely erased them with the way his eyes were raking over her. He bent down to softly kiss the few faint stretch marks that she had and she let out a shaky breath, reaching down and brushing her hand through his hair. The gesture was not lost on her and she felt the love spread through her body when he looked up and smiled at her. That smile turned playful and there was a mischievous look in his eyes before he started moving on a downward path.

Lizzie kept her gaze locked with his as he settled between her thighs, lifted her legs, and rested them on his shoulders. Her hips jerked at his initial touch but she assured him with a nod that he could keep going. As soon as she felt his mouth on her, she grasped at the sheets and whimpered. He was taking his time, kissing every part of her. He was savoring what he had been missing these past weeks and he was picking up right where he left off. He pressed his tongue against her clit and she moaned loudly. William was focused and determined and it was even better than she had expected as he alternated between swirling his tongue against her and long, flat swipes. She reached down and dug her fingers through his hair, tugging him even closer. He groaned from her grip and it sent vibrations through her, bringing her right to the edge. All she needed was a little bit more and she pleaded with him for it, moaning and tightening her hold on him. He slid two fingers in and stroked, giving her that extra boost. She cried out his name and she arched her back as she climaxed. Pleasure spread through her and she closed her eyes.

She could vaguely feel and hear William shifting and moving around. When she opened her eyes and focused on him, he had removed his boxer-briefs and he was above her.

"It's hard to say who enjoyed that more," William said smugly.

"I'd say me," Lizzie snickered and pulled him down for a kiss, tasting herself on his lips. She reached down and wrapped her hand around his erection, giving him a little squeeze. He broke off the kiss and groaned. "But there's obvious evidence for you too."

"You little minx," William said huskily. He reached past her and opened a drawer next to them, pulling out the box of condoms. He deftly opened it with one hand and pulled a condom out, sitting back on his knees to unwrap it and slide it on. Lizzie would have offered but she was just as needy as him and it had been too long. When he was ready, he positioned himself at her entrance and paused. "You're sure?"

"Yes, Will. I'm all yours," Lizzie murmured and he smiled, bending down to kiss her. He entered her carefully. She felt full and needed to adjust to him. William kept his gaze on hers, studying her face until she was ready. After a few moments, she finally nodded and he began to slowly thrust into her. The rhythm he was created was unhurried and every move was better than the last. She lifted her legs and locked her ankles behind his back. He closed the gap between them and kissed her, pulling at her bottom lip. She rocked her hips with each of his thrusts and sighed as he kissed along her jaw. When he reached her ear, he began to nibble on her lobe. She squeezed around him and he grunted, jerking his hips. She gasped from the pleasure and kept going, wanting so much to hear that deep voice fill her eardrums.

Their groans and ragged breaths filled the room and they began to pick up the pace, bringing each other closer to what they craved the most. She slid her hands to his back and felt the movement of his muscles against her palms. He adjusted his position and Lizzie cried out as he found her most sensitive spot. Only a few more deep thrusts and she was gone, her eyes rolling back as she orgasmed. As if he was waiting for that moment, William came and groaned her name. Sheer bliss thrummed through her body and she clung to her husband. When she looked at him, his bottom lip quivered and it brought her back to their first time when she learned about that quirk. It was truly one of her favorite discoveries that night and she still appreciated it now. She slid her hands to his neck and pulled him in, lazily kissing him as they came down from their joint high.

William kissed her once more before he hesitantly pulled out of her, smirking when she involuntarily whimpered from the loss. After he took care of the condom, Lizzie excused herself to go the bathroom to clean up. When she came back out, William had the covers pulled back and he patted the empty space beside him. She smiled and hurried over, jumping in and throwing over the covers. She burrowed into his chest and he draped an arm around her, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

"That was worth the wait," William murmured.

"Definitely."

"What do you say to getting a full night of uninterrupted sleep?"

Lizzie laughed softly. "I say that sounds absolutely divine."

* * *

They still woke up in the middle of the night, despite their best efforts. They took advantage of the fluke and had sex again, with Lizzie on top and taking control once more. After thoroughly tiring themselves out, they slept the rest of the night. They even managed to sleep in until eight, an accomplishment after getting up at six am for nearly the past seven weeks. After a shared shower that left them in an exceptionally good mood, they had room service for breakfast out on their balcony.

As they found themselves gushing about Eleanor throughout the meal, they knew it was time to call an end to their time alone. They packed up their things and headed home. They were greeted by Gigi and a sleeping baby, having just been fed into a milk coma. Lizzie and William were thrilled to hear that she had no trouble with Eleanor and took to the bottle every time. They thanked her profusely for her time and said she would be happy to do it again. Once she left, they settled in with no other plans than to spend the whole day with their daughter.

* * *

 _Saturday, December 22nd_

Lizzie and William's date on Tuesday had rekindled something in their relationship that had been dormant the past number of weeks. When they weren't doting on Eleanor, they were flirting and teasing each other. It almost felt like old times, especially every time one of them would cop a feel or steal a kiss. Their date helped them understand how to better balance their parental and married roles so that neither would take a backseat.

On Friday, Lizzie and William made an appearance at Lizzie's company party. It was the more casual of the two company parties but they still wanted to look nice. It was the first time that she had seen her coworkers and employees since she went on maternity leave. She dressed up in a white and blue lacy dress while William strived to match in a blue button down and white tie. Lizzie dressed Eleanor up in a red onesie with a reindeer on it, putting on little red cloth booties that Mrs. Bennet had crocheted to match. They didn't plan to stay more than an hour or two and Lizzie devised a sure-fire plan to stick to it by nursing Eleanor just before they left. She'd be hungry again in a few hours but for now, she was sleepy and happy.

Just before they walked into the venue, William took her from Lizzie's arms, guessing that she'd probably be bombarded with hugs. His guess was right. Everybody was thrilled to see Lizzie back, even if it was only for the party, and she was all hugged out within ten minutes. They were even more thrilled to meet Eleanor. Andrea gave Lizzie a more thorough rundown of everything that was going on and also learned that year-end projections were looking better than predicted, which left Lizzie in an even better mood than before.

Eleanor began to give signs that she was done with the party a little over an hour into being there and they said their goodbyes. Lizzie wished everyone a great holiday and to enjoy their much-deserved two-week break. She wouldn't be back for another month. Lizzie realized how much she missed the office, her peers, and her work. She also knew it would be incredibly hard to leave Eleanor so she was going to cherish the next month to the fullest.

* * *

Saturday was a longer day for the Darcy family. Lizzie always looked forward to the holiday party at Pemberley Digital because the company went all out. William always made sure that his employees were given a proper party for all the hard work they had accomplished throughout the year. This year was no exception. With William out of the office, Fitz took over so she knew it was going to be extravagant. The one request her husband had for Fitz was to have Santa Claus at the party since employees were encouraged to bring their children.

Fitz and Brandon held a pre-party party for the friends so everyone could exchange Christmas presents. While everyone was staying in town, they would be busy with their own visiting families throughout the week so it was the best time. Charlotte and Sam were the only other ones able to make it. Lydia and Gigi both had plans and Adam was busy doing his last two shows for _A Christmas Carol_.

Lizzie and William were dressed for a fancier occasion. William was in a slate gray three-piece suit with a black tie while Lizzie wore another Jane creation that had just debuted on the runway. It was a deep blue calf-length dress that flared out at the waist, had a gold waistband, and a high neckline. She paired them with comfortable black heels and accessorized with gold drop earrings William had given her two birthdays ago. After his enthusiastic reaction when she showed off her outfit, she had to reapply her lipsticks and readjust the pins in her hair but she did it with a little smile.

Eleanor was purposely dressed in the 'I sleigh' onesie that Fitz had given them for the pre-party, while her nicer outfit for the office party was in the diaper bag. Lizzie also wanted to put her in it because her daughter first smiled when she was joking about the outfit. Ever since then, Eleanor seemed to smile at everybody they knew but her biggest smiles were reserved for her parents. They agreed that it was her way of showing them she knew they were the most important to her.

They managed to find a parking spot on the same street as Fitz and Brandon's house. As they were taking things out of their car, they heard a wolf whistle and looked in that direction to see Charlotte and Sam walking towards them. Sam was wearing a maroon button-down shirt with a black tie and pants while Charlotte was wear a silver knee-length dress with a white sweater.

"Hey foxy lady!" Charlotte said with a grin, waving. Lizzie waved back as they approached the car. "I'm glad Sam's taking me out after this or we'd be totally underdressed."

"Oh? Where are you going?" Lizzie asked Sam.

"That's for me to know and my wife to find out," Sam said, winking. Charlotte rolled her eyes and went to talk to William. Sam smiled and gave Lizzie a big hug. "How are you doing?"

Lizzie was grateful for Sam, who consistently checked on her first before asking about the baby. It was obvious that he picked the right profession.

"I'm really good. I'm actually feeling more normal these days. William took me out on a date that was just about the two of us and it was really nice," Lizzie told him. "And Eleanor has basically started sleeping through the night, which is amazing."

"That's great! On both accounts," Sam said, giving her arm a squeeze. "Now, how can I help?"

"We've got all the gifts in the back," Lizzie said and he nodded, lending her a hand to get everything.

Lizzie watch as William unbuckled Eleanor from her car seat and picked her up. He chuckled when he turned around and saw Charlotte holding out her arms. She challenged him with a raised eyebrow and he gave in, handing Eleanor over to her. Charlotte beamed and thanked him.

"Come on, Miss Eleanor. Let's go see your Uncle Fitz and Uncle Brandon!"

Lizzie and the rest of the group were greeted with hugs and compliments from the hosts, inviting them in. Fitz promptly took Eleanor from Charlotte, much to her chagrin, and took her on a tour of their place since it was the first time she had been brought over, though she fell asleep by the time he had finished.

As predicted, their friends were generous and half the presents under Fitz and Brandon's tree were for Eleanor. From cute and funny onesies that ranged from three months to eighteen to books and toys to help her develop, she was set and thoroughly spoiled. The most surprising gift was to William from the rest of the group. It was a child bicycle seat for his bicycle and safety equipment. She wouldn't be big enough to use it for another eight months, at least, but William was ecstatic about the prospect of including her.

After Charlotte and Sam left for their mystery date, Lizzie excused herself to nurse Eleanor while William and Fitz packed up the car with their gifts. Once Eleanor was done, her diaper was changed before she was put in a green and gold dress, a gold band and bow on the waist with gold sequins spread all over the skirt, with on a matching green headband to tame her wild locks. As soon as she was ready, Lizzie brought her out and found William, Fitz, and Brandon waiting for them. William lit up at the sight of them.

"My pretty girl!" William walked over to them and took Eleanor from her arms, kissing her cheeks. "You're going to give your mommy a run for her money!"

"Or this entire room!" Fitz spoke up and Lizzie laughed. "Alright, Darcy family. Are we ready? We've got a party to get to!"

* * *

Pemberley Digital had been completely transformed for the holidays with lights and Christmas trees and decorations everywhere. Waiters were walking around, passing out drinks and various appetizers. As Fitz promised, there was a Santa Claus set up in a big chair and surrounded by numerous presents. He passed out a present to any child who went to visit him.

Lizzie and William were able to sneak in without causing too much of a fuss but every person who ran into them were thrilled to see them and meet the newest Darcy. As they made their way around the party, William was on the lookout for Sue Reynolds and knew he was getting close when Lizzie pointed out Tucker, her grandson.

"Hey Tucker!" William said.

"William! Lizzie!" he said excitedly, waving. Lizzie gave him a high-five and William offered him a smile, his arms full.

"I haven't you seen you here in ages!" William said. "You've gotten tall. How old are you now? Sixteen? Seventeen?"

"I'm nine!" Tucker giggled. "Mom says I'm an early bloomer. I'm the tallest in my class."

"What are you doing these days?" Lizzie asked.

"I'm playing soccer!" Tucker replied before pointing to Eleanor. "Is this your daughter? Grandma said you were home with your daughter."

"It is. Tucker, this is Eleanor," William said, coming down to his level. He held out her arm and Tucker shook her hand, making Lizzie smile.

"How old is she? My aunt had my cousin Nick a while ago but he's not much bigger," Tucker said.

"She's just shy of two months old. She's got a lot of growing to do," William said, straightening up. "She's still small."

"I remember when _you_ were this small."

William whipped his head around to see Sue standing behind them.

"Sue," William said warmly. "Just the lady I was hoping to see."

"I heard rumors you were here," Sue smiled before looking to Tucker. "Your mom is looking for you, Tuck. She's near the present display."

"Okay. See ya later!" Tucker waved goodbye and ran off.

"Sue, hi!" Lizzie said, giving her a hug.

"We've missed you two around here," Sue said, pulling back. "Lizzie, you look great! I'd never believe you had a baby two months ago."

"You know I like my walks," Lizzie said.

"Now, I have been waiting to meet this little baby girl since I heard she was born," Sue said, turning to William. "May I?"

"Of course," William beamed, handing Eleanor over. Eleanor squeaked and let out a little yawn in Sue's arms.

Sue made a few faces and brushed a finger across her cheek. "She has hair like Gigi did when she was this young."

"So it's _your_ side," Lizzie joked, nudging him. "It's untamable, sometimes."

"Yea. Your mother would say the same thing about Gigi," Sue told William. He smiled at her words. "She is absolutely beautiful. I can see bits of both of you in her. Congratulations again."

"Thank you," they said in unison. William slid an arm around Lizzie's waist and pulled her in closer, kissing her temple.

"Is she giving you any trouble?"

"Besides the normal new parent struggles, I think we're doing pretty well. Don't you think?" Lizzie asked, looking to William.

"I do. She makes my day brighter," William said warmly.

"Our day," Lizzie corrected. "Especially now that she's started smiling. She does it all the time around us."

"Oh? She's already smiling?" Sue asked, looking at Eleanor. She was more sleepy than anything else and William quickly pulled out his phone. He showed her pictures of her first smiles as well as other cute pictures that he managed to capture throughout the last weeks. They talked for a while longer, catching up with everything going on. Eleanor began to get a little fussy so Lizzie took her back and calmed her down back to her sleepy self. She saw an opportunity to get a picture with Santa so she let William know and he said he'd be right there. Lizzie gave Sue a hug and began to make her way through the party crowd.

"Well, I don't really want to miss my daughter's first meeting with Santa," William said, watching Lizzie walk away.

"No, you really don't," Sue chuckled. "Before you leave, Brookings and Morris want to run a transfer by you."

"You know I'm not actually back, right?"

"It's somebody from the London office. They want him to fill the head of communications position and you said you wanted the final say. He's being courted by another company and he's the best for the position so it's time sensitive," Sue said.

"I'll make sure to talk to them. Thank you, Sue. I'll see you later?"

William hugged her goodbye before making his way through the crowd and catching up with Lizzie. She was sitting in a chair against a wall close to the Santa exhibition and had Eleanor in her lap. She was playing with her and getting her into a happy mood. William joined her and helped her out until he saw Eleanor light up with a gummy grin. They were careful about transferring her into Santa's arms but thankfully she never burst into tears about the relative stranger. She looked unsure at first and then relaxed enough to get a few good pictures. After William had a quick word with a couple board members, they did one last round around the room and called it a night.

* * *

 _Tuesday, December 25th_

It was just the three of them on Christmas Eve, which was for the best. Eleanor wasn't in the happiest of moods and cried any time they left her alone. She was strapped to one of them throughout the rest of the day and it helped significantly. Her newly monogrammed stocking was added to the fireplace and they spent the evening watching holiday movies. After Eleanor was finally put down for the night, Lizzie and William retreated to the bedroom for some much-needed alone time

Lizzie was the first to wake up on Christmas morning but William stirred awake moments later, pulling her in closer and tightening his hold around her waist. He pressed soft kisses along her neck and she sighed.

"Good morning," William murmured near her ear.

"Morning," Lizzie hummed.

"Merry Christmas."

Lizzie turned around to face him and smiled. "Merry Christmas."

"I'm glad we decided to stay home this year," William said, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear.

"Me too," Lizzie agreed. "It's far less stressful."

"There's also more time for the three of us," William added. The plan for the day was to open presents over Domino with the Lee family and the rest of their family would be coming over in the early afternoon. Most of the morning would be just about them.

"So, does that mean you're making me a lavish breakfast?" Lizzie asked. She pushed her bottom lip out to pout and he chuckled.

"I suppose I could do that," William said. "Pancakes?"

"Always."

"Maybe some eggs and bacon?"

"Ooh. You're spoiling me! Come here," Lizzie said, pulling him in for a kiss. She slid her arms around him and played with the hair at the nape of his neck. He deepened it and parted her lips with his tongue, running his over her own. She moaned and rolled to her back, bringing him with her. He squeezed her hip and she toyed with the band of his boxer-briefs when they heard Eleanor begin to babble over the baby monitor. They broke apart and William dropped his head to her shoulder as they laughed. "Our daughter has amazing timing."

"She does," William said. "I'll get her."

"Thank you," Lizzie said as he sat up to pull his black sweats on. He picked his shirt up from the floor as he stood up and slipped it on.

"I'll be right back."

Lizzie watched him go and then laid back down, listening to Eleanor on the monitor. William's voice coming through a moment later and she could clearly hear his sweet tone. He was in the nursery for a few minutes, changing her diaper and playing with her. His voice began to fade on the monitor but she could hear him approaching their bedroom.

"Somebody's in a better mood today," William announced, walking in with Eleanor cradled in one arm. Eleanor lit up at the sight of Lizzie and she sat up, resting against the headboard.

"I can see that!" Lizzie said as William gave Eleanor over to her. Lizzie kissed her cheeks and her daughter cooed. "Merry Christmas, Eleanor! I love it when you're not so grumpy, baby girl."

"I'm going to make us breakfast," William said, leaning down to kiss her forehead.

* * *

The morning was very relaxing for the Darcy family and they stayed in their pajamas for most of it. They had holiday music playing in the background, with all the Christmas lights on in their place from the moment they moved from the bedroom to the kitchen. Lizzie nursed Eleanor while William made an elaborate and delicious breakfast.

Afterwards, they migrated to the living room to open their presents from each other and Eleanor watched on in her swing seat. William's favorite gifts from Lizzie were silver cufflinks with their daughter's birthdate and initials engraved around the edges and a framed picture of him and Eleanor that was one of Lizzie's favorites. He gave Lizzie a beautiful silver necklace that featured a tree within a circle with three different stones spread throughout. He explained that they were their birthstones and that was room to add more. She also received monthly massages for the next year from the same place she went to when she was pregnant. Besides a couple small board books that Lizzie put in Eleanor's stocking, William only had one present for her and he handed an envelope to Lizzie.

"What is this?" Lizzie asked him, inspecting the outside of the envelope.

"It's for Eleanor but she's not quite dexterous to open this herself at the moment."

Lizzie glanced to their daughter. She was kicking out her legs and erratically moving around her arms, cooing and clearly enjoying herself. Lizzie smiled before opening the envelope. Inside was a bank statement in Eleanor's name.

"Five thousand dollars," Lizzie breathed, snapping her head up to look at William. "Will…"

"I thought about what you said when we talked about presents. She will grow out of her clothes, I can wait to give her the books most important to me, and our friends have inundated her with toys already," William said. "I always intended to start a college fund for Eleanor so I thought this was the best time."

"A college fund!" Lizzie said, fully understanding. "I don't think I expected to start out with this amount."

"It's always going to surprise you, isn't it? Even though you've become so successful?" William asked and she nodded. He smiled. "Honestly, I love that about you. Eleanor's not going to have to worry about money with us as her parents but I still wanted to do this. We can both add money to the account any time we want and I've set it up with a stipulation. It must be used for college but if for some reason she decides not to go, she won't be able to access it until she's twenty-one."

"I _hope_ she goes to college but I'm glad you set it up that way," Lizzie said, putting the envelope down on the coffee table. She laid her hands on his face and leaned in, kissing him softly. "Thank you for all your gifts. I love them all."

"I love mine too," William said warmly. When she pulled away, he reached out for Eleanor and lifted her out of her swing seat. "This is my favorite gift of all."

"She's pretty special," Lizzie agreed.

"And I think she needs her diaper changed," William said, standing up. "Let's get you changed and dressed for the day."

"I picked her outfit. It's on the bureau."

"Let's go see what Mommy picked for you," William said, walking away. "We're going to have a great Christmas today, aren't we, sweetheart?"

* * *

The video chat with the Lee family was entertaining and it was clear that Scarlett and Charlie were on a sugar high. Lizzie and William loved seeing the kids' excitement and were looking forward to when Eleanor would be old enough to show them the same emotions.

After they were done, they got dressed and cleaned up the place for their family's arrivals. Mr. and Mrs. Bennet arrived first, with Gigi and Lydia close behind them. They all took turns helping out in the kitchen to get dinner and dessert prepared, tagging each other out to play with Eleanor. Dinner was a big success and the rest of the evening was surprisingly quiet, even with a full house.

Lizzie and William gave her parents with a suite at The St. Regis so they could stay overnight and have more time with their granddaughter. Mrs. Bennet gave Eleanor a cute holiday dress that was black on top, had a red band with red roses around the middle, and the skirt red and green plaid. It came with a matching diaper cover and, during her next diaper change, Lizzie dressed her up in the outfit. Mrs. Bennet couldn't hold back the happy squeal and she covered Eleanor's face in lipstick kisses.

As the evening wore on, Eleanor became increasingly agitated. It was something Lizzie noticed when they were with bigger groups. She would be the happiest baby for much of the day and then reach a threshold where she wanted to retreat back to the quiet. It reminded her of William when she was first getting to know him. William always caught onto it first and this time was no exception. He called an end to the night and everybody said their goodbyes, promising to see them in coming days and meet her parents for breakfast at their hotel.

Once everybody was gone, Lizzie could feel Eleanor physically relax in her arms and cuddle into her. She and William spent some time with their daughter before starting their nightly routine of getting her to bed. When she was down, Lizzie and William spent the rest of their evening on the couch, enjoying their time alone together and watching the fire slowly die down. It was one of their favorite Christmases together.

* * *

 _Monday, December 31st_

Eleanor turned two months the day after Christmas and celebrated the milestone by going out to breakfast. She could now lift her head for longer periods of time during tummy time but would still be wobbly when she was propped up on their laps. She was also constantly smiling and more aware of her surroundings.

The last days of the year flew by and before they knew it, it was New Year's Eve. Lizzie and William wanted to stay in with Eleanor, so Gigi came over for dinner and provided some delicious dessert. She spent some time with her niece and helped with bath time before she left to join Fitz and Brandon for a night out.

Eleanor was still wide awake after bath time. Lizzie left her with William to take a long hot shower, feeling refreshed when she was done. When she came back out to join them, she saw William in the living room playing peek-a-boo with Eleanor and had her propped up on his legs. Lizzie watched for a few moments before William spoke up, making her jump slightly.

"Does Mommy want to play our game?"

"Maybe." Lizzie came over and sat next to William. "You like it when Mommy and Daddy are silly?"

Eleanor looked at her for a moment and brightened up. Then Lizzie brought her hands up to cover her face and pulled them away. Sure enough, Eleanor cooed and flashed a gummy smile.

"Well, I think that answers that," William chuckled. He lightly pressed the tip of her little nose and continued their game of peek-a-boo, him and Lizzie going back and forth.

"Remember what we were doing this time last year?" Lizzie asked after a while, dropping her hands to her lap. William continued hiding and uncovering his face to make Eleanor smile.

"I do."

"We were in Tahoe and waiting to ring in this year," Lizzie said. "And now we're staying home and playing peek-a-boo with our daughter."

"I love going to the cabin but tonight is better," William said, covering and uncovering his face. He smiled when Eleanor cooed.

"It is," Lizzie hummed.

"Every year is better since I met you and now little miss Eleanor is with us," William said, lifting her up and giving her a peck on the lips. He held her out in front of him and she looked at him curiously. "Are you excited for the new year, sweetheart?"

Lizzie brushed her thumb across Eleanor's cheek. After a few moments, William laid her back down on his legs.

"I'm really looking forward to it. You and Eleanor have made every day better," Lizzie said. He turned his head and gave her an affectionate look.

"If the last two months have been any indication of the year to come, I cannot wait."

* * *

 _Notes:_

 _And we're done with 2018! It's on to 2019 for the Darcy family. What will the new year bring?_

 _I have a bunch of extras for this one, including all of Lizzie's dresses for her events (I love them, guys) and other stuff._

 _I'm determined to finish this story. I have it outlined and everything! Stay tuned for more!_


	22. Recalibrating

_Summary:_ _It's Lizzie and William's last month off from work and they're taking advantage of the time as much as they can._

* * *

 _Notes:_ _Hi readers! I thank you SO MUCH for your patience. I meant to get this chapter up at the end of June but I had a health hiccup and I lost the last four days of the month. Anyway, it's ready for you to read! Enjoy!_

* * *

 _Saturday, January 5th, 2019_

Ever since their romantic overnight date, Lizzie and William had become more playful with each other. Flirtatious glances from across the room, quick kisses whenever they handed Eleanor over, even being a little handsy. Whatever had been dormant in those first six weeks after labor had come back to life and they were closer than ever.

The only one who didn't get the memo about their renewed romance was Eleanor, who had been unintentionally thwarting their attempts of doing anything more by staying awake for longer periods of time throughout the day. She thrived on her parents' attention and they were more than happy to give it to her, but it gave them less time to themselves. By the time they made it to bed most nights, they were usually too tired to do much more than kissing and cuddling.

Today, they were determined to change that from the moment they woke up.

Lizzie inhaled and stretched her arms out, glancing over to William to see that he was already awake. She smiled and they murmured their morning greetings before he rolled over, looking down at her. He kissed her neck, making her giggle.

"My kissing should not make you laugh," William said against her skin. Lizzie slid her hands through his hair and pulled him back.

"Your scruff makes me ticklish," Lizzie told him.

"Not in certain areas," William smirked, his gaze flicking down for a second before focusing back on her.

Lizzie laughed. "Getting right to the point!"

"We only have so much time." William brushed his hand down her side and gently squeezed her hip.

Lizzie pulled him back down to kiss him. He shifted above her and she spread her legs to make room for him. She hooked one leg over his and brought her hands to his back, his muscles flexing beneath her palms. As William nipped at her lips then deepened their kiss, dragging his tongue along hers, she slid her hands down and squeezed his butt, pulling him in closer. They both moaned from the contact. She quickly pushed his boxer-briefs down and wrapped her hand around his erection. He broke off the kiss and groaned, resting his forehead against hers.

"Skipping a step," William rumbled.

"Getting right to the point," Lizzie repeated breathily, moving her hand slowly up and down his shaft. He kicked his shorts off and he closed his eyes while she fidgeted beneath him, getting more and more turned on from his enjoyment.

He finally opened his eyes and grabbed her wrist to stop her. "If you _really_ want to get to the point…"

William pulled away and rolled to his side of the bed while Lizzie started to wiggle out of her pajama bottoms and underwear. Just as he went to grab a condom from the bedside drawer, the distinct sound of wailing came over the baby monitor.

"Are you kidding me?" William laughed in disbelief, flopping onto his back to look at Lizzie.

"And you thought I was skipping a step." Lizzie shook her head, shimmying back into her underwear and pajama bottoms. She sat up as he rubbed his hands down his face. "I'll get her. You're not exactly in the best…condition."

"Funny."

She got out of bed and laughed as she walked to the door, pausing in the doorway. "We'll figure it out."

Lizzie saw a flash of heat in his eyes as he replied. "Damn right we will."

* * *

The morning was full of feedings, diaper changes, and cleaning up. The living room was rearranged for tummy time, where Lizzie and William both joined their daughter on the floor. They noticed how much more control she had in holding her head up and turning it from side to side over the past week. She was in a smiley and attentive mood today, especially when William brought out a baby mirror and placed it in front of her. They played with it and a couple other toys for most of the morning.

"Why is this still so funny?" Lizzie watched as Eleanor caught her reflection for the hundredth time and her expression went from confused to curious before settling on happy. "Who's that in the mirror? Is that you?" Lizzie asked sweetly, bopping Eleanor on the nose and pointing at her reflection.

"That's you, sweetheart!" William added with a smile. Eleanor bobbled her head towards the direction of his voice, making a little breathy cooing noise and smiling at him. "I love watching her discover new things. It's incredible."

"She's growing more every day."

"She is. She's looking more and more like her beautiful mother too," William said. She caught his glance to her and she pressed her lips together. It was brief but intense and she had to force herself to return her attention back to the baby, feeling momentarily inappropriate. He was too good at this. He easily transitioned from one emotion to another by picking the baby up and making faces at her. When he brought her in close to kiss her belly, he grimaced a little. "Somebody needs her diaper changed."

"Already? Okay." Lizzie pulled herself up in a sitting position.

"I got it this time. You changed the last two," William said, standing up.

"I'll get started on lunch?" Lizzie suggested, taking his free hand and bouncing up to her feet. "Anything in particular?"

"Maybe something—" William leaned in and kissed her temple before whispering, "— _hot_ and _spicy_."

"I hate you." Lizzie groaned he pulled away, seeing his smirk.

Lizzie was deep into preparing lunch when William returned to the room so she didn't hear him come in. He put the baby in the swinger seat and slinked up behind her, giving her a gentle smack on her butt. She jumped a little and looked over her shoulder at him.

"How do you manage to sneak into a room without me noticing?"

"Takes practice," William said, bending down and kissing her neck. "It smells good. What are you making?"

"Hot and spicy chicken," Lizzie said with a little hip wiggle. William put his hands on her hips to stop her.

"Don't you start teasing me," William said, kissing her neck again. Lizzie paused her in her preparations and sighed.

"You're distracting me. I'll burn the food," Lizzie said weakly, turning back to the stove. "And Eleanor will be hungry soon too. Let me finish making lunch before she needs to eat."

"And then we can eat?" William asked, his voice laced with innuendo.

Lizzie looked over her shoulder and gave him a heated look. "You know it."

Towards the end of their meal, Eleanor started getting fussy. It helped temporarily cool off the increasingly flirtatious couple, neither of them shying away from the touches throughout lunch. While William cleaned up the kitchen, Lizzie nursed on the couch. Eleanor must have been especially hungry because she was still eating by the time he joined her. It was the first time that Lizzie felt anxious about the amount of time she was taking but figured it was her own needs making her this way. William squeezed her knee to relax her and she flashed him a smile.

"I'm going to go try and rock her to sleep," Lizzie said, adjusting Eleanor a bit. "She hasn't slept all morning. I'll be back."

"Hopefully sooner than later."

* * *

William knew that becoming a parent and having a baby in the house would change things, including their daily schedule but he was still surprised. The past few days were sexually frustrating for him and Lizzie, and this morning did not help the situation at all. He knew his increasing desire for her was distracting him today. He was feeling a little guilty and conflicted for wanting time alone with his wife when he had promised to devote himself to raising their baby.

Every couple went through this, didn't they? Trying to figure out the balance between parenthood and adulthood was difficult but there had to be a solution.

He wasn't sure how long he was in the living room with his wandering thoughts. They kept going back to the interrupted moments of the last few days but his brain focused on this morning the most. He was beginning to feel a bit like a teenager with the way his mind was working. Caught up in his own thoughts, he didn't even hear the quickly approaching footsteps coming from the hallway.

"Will!" Lizzie said enthusiastically, hurrying into the living room. He snapped his head up as she made a beeline straight for him, pulling off her sweatshirt and letting it fall to the floor. Lizzie straddled his lap and grabbed his face with both hands. "She's asleep."

"She is? No problems?"

Lizzie laughed lightly and shook her head, dropping her hands and tugging the bottom hem of his shirt up. "She's out like a light."

"Do we have the time?" William asked, hesitating. He automatically lifted his arms as she pulled his shirt off. Her hands skimmed across and down his chest and he let out a shaky breath at her touch.

"Oh yea. Put herself in a milk coma," Lizzie said. She leaned in close and kissed her way up his jawline, slowly but surely melting away his restraint. His fingers dug into her thighs once she beginning nibbling on his earlobe and fingering the button of his jeans before popping it open. She must have sensed something was off and pulled back, tilting her head. "Why the hesitation, handsome?"

"I don't think my libido could handle another interruption today."

"No more interruptions. We'll skip as many steps as you want," Lizzie said, grinding her hips against him while she leaned in close. He groaned and he could practically feel her grinning. Then she did something that made him lose all control.

She begged.

"Please, Will," she whispered into his ear, her hot breath tickling his skin. "I need you."

"Hold on," he growled, grabbing hold of her waist. She squeaked in surprise as he stood up but quickly recovered, wrapping her legs around him. He kissed her roughly and she returned with fervor, their tongues sliding along each other. William blindly made his way towards the bedroom. When he paused in the hallway, he pressed her against the wall to savor an especially passionate kiss. She moaned and unzipped his jeans with one hand, unsuccessfully pushing them down.

"Damn pants," Lizzie mumbled, making William chuckle. He paused, set her down, and her hands flew back to tug down his pants. He braced himself by putting his hands on the wall and watched her as she made it all the way down to her knees before he kicked them off. There was a mischievous twinkle in her eye while she worked her way back up, running her hands up his thighs. He groaned and nearly stumbled when she cupped him through his boxer-briefs. He was nearly naked while she was practically fully dressed.

While she continued to torture him, he gently pushed her against the wall and unzipped her jeans. He then slid his hand in her underwear, discovering just how turned on she was. He slid one finger along her entrance and her breath caught in her throat, giving him one good squeeze. Neither of them would last long if they continued to tease each other like this but on they went. Lizzie tried to get control back by unsheathing his erection, and relief washed over him from the lack of confinement, shimmying out of his last piece of clothing. The way her hand slowly moved up and down his shaft, twisting her wrist just so, was excruciatingly wonderful. He kept his eyes locked on her while he added another finger and pressed his palm against her clit. She gasped and began to rock her hips against his hand.

"Will…we need…" Lizzie moaned, her eyes fluttering from the building pleasure. "Bedroom."

Reluctantly, he pulled his hand out of her jeans and she whimpered in disapproval, letting him go as well. He quickly tugged them down her legs and she kicked them off a second before he picked her back up to bring her into the bedroom. She eagerly wrapped her legs around him one more and closed the door behind them, just quietly enough.

William headed straight for the bedside drawer while Lizzie took off her top, leaving her in her mismatched undergarments. He kept his tight hold on her while he fumbled for a condom. Something in her eyes told him she was expecting him to put her down on the bed but he was too amped up for that. He pressed her to the nearest wall and he soaked in that look of excitement from her before he ripped open the package and rolled the condom on. He eyed her underwear before looking back up at her, a silent question waiting to be answered.

"Not my favorite," Lizzie breathed. He grinned and grabbed hold of them, ripping them in half and letting the tattered pieces flutter to the floor.

Barely waiting a second, he drove into her and she gasped in delight. She grabbed fistfuls of his hair and pulled him in for a hard kiss. He thrust his hips harder into her and she moaned as she dragged her nails down his back. It was a mixture of pleasure and pain but it felt so good and he groaned her name. She was rolling her hips with each push of his and the room was filling up with their ragged breaths and whimpers. She dropped her head to the wall and exposed her neck. He leaned in and kissed down her neck and along her collar bone before dragging his tongue back, tasting the salt on her skin.

" _More_ ," Lizzie pleaded with a whimper. "You feel so good."

If she wanted more, then he was going to give her more. He relaxed his hold on her and it made her slide down the wall a little, helping him go deeper with every thrust. she pulled out one of his favorite, and most torturous, moves by clenching around him with his every hip movement. She squeezed her eyes shut and she bit down on her bottom lip before she began grinding into him, searching for that release. He brought a hand between her thighs and began to massage her clit, getting a guttural noise out of her. Her hips jerked and there was a rush of heat as she climaxed, moaning in pleasure. He staggered on the spot before pressing her back to the wall, losing all semblance of rhythm while she pulsed around him. It was what drove him over the edge almost every time. He buried his head into the crook of her neck to muffle his heavy cry as he came and his hips surged into her as he felt bliss spread through him.

After the last few days of interruptions, he was soaking in this moment right now. He didn't want to move an inch until the last second of his climax was over. Lizzie was drawing her own orgasm out by subtly moving her hips and he didn't mind one bit. At least a minute passed before they really came down from their high. Their eyes locked and they shared a satisfied smile as their chests heaved, searching for even breath. He held onto her and walked the few steps to their bed before he put her down, pulling slowly out of her. He used the last of his energy to get rid of the condom before he flopped onto his back. Holding out his arm, Lizzie snaked her way to his side and rested her head on his shoulder. They made no effort to cover themselves up and he needed to cool down from such a vigorous session

"I'm going to be so sore," Lizzie spoke up, her tone light and happy.

"Good thing your massage is soon," William said, kissing the top of her head.

"You're not going to offer me to give me one yourself? I'm hurt, Mr. Darcy."

"You know how my massages end, Mrs. Darcy," William teased, waggling his eyebrows. "It will only be counter-productive."

"Fair enough," she laughed. She glanced at the clock on the bedside table, obviously making a mental calculation of how long their daughter had been asleep. Then they both paused to listen to the baby monitor but heard nothing out of the ordinary.

"Do you think we have time to shower?"

"An actual shower with each other or the kind where not much showering gets done?" William countered.

"An actual one! Do you have the energy for the other?"

"Absolutely not."

"Then let's take advantage while we can."

* * *

 _Thursday, January 10th_

After spending the last week in Chicago at a conference on international relations, Gigi returned late the night before but came over in the morning to hang out and make up for lost time with her niece. After the commotion of her arrival calmed down, Lizzie handed Eleanor over to a grabby Gigi.

"Somebody missed you!" Lizzie said.

"Oh, I missed this sweet face too," Gigi cooed, peppering her face with kisses.

"She is freshly changed, just for you," William said with a twinkle in his eye. Lizzie pressed her lips together to keep from laughing and Gigi rolled her eyes.

Eleanor waved her arms about and gave her a big toothless grin.

"Let's sit down. I want to hear all about your trip!" Lizzie said.

"It's a good thing you came back when you did. A snowstorm shut down half the airports on the East coast today," William said.

"It was so cold the last few days!" Gigi said, gently bouncing Eleanor on her leg. "But I'm glad I went. I made more contacts for some possible future locations and got some potential clients. They sounded _very_ interested. Oh! William, I managed to convince an Allen Rampart to use P.D. for his current international project and he asked about you. Apparently you made a big impression on him the last time you both were in Chicago."

"Allen Rampart…" William repeated, his brows furrowing. After a moment, one corner of his mouth lifted and he looked over at Lizzie. "He was a potential client that slipped through my fingers because I was…bit distracted by a voicemail I received."

Lizzie raised an eyebrow and returned the subtle smile but said nothing more.

"I'm happy to hear he wants to give us another chance," William finished.

"Yea," Gigi nodded, looking down at the baby in her lap and held up her hand. "What's going on here? Is she drooling on me?"

"Oh, sorry!" Lizzie grabbed a burp cloth and handed it to her. "She's become a drooling bucket in the last week."

The buzz from William's phone interrupted the conversation. He looked at the screen and apologized before he excused himself.

"So, everything is still going okay?" Gigi asked, patting Eleanor's back as her fussiness increased.

"It is!" Lizzie said. "But going back to work is going to be so hard. I feel like it's going to be difficult to adjust for all three of us."

"Have you talked to William about it?"

"We did before she arrived but I'm starting to rethink what we agreed on. We're going to have to talk about it more," Lizzie said. Eleanor burst out crying and Gigi tried to soothe her for a minute before quickly realized it wasn't working. "What's wrong, Ellie?"

"She's hungry. Do you want to feed her? I've got some breastmilk in the fridge."

"Sure. Come on, Ellie. Let's get you some sustenance!" Gigi said, standing up and following Lizzie into the kitchen. She went to switch her to her other shoulder and caught a shine to Eleanor's eyes. "Oh god. Are these actual tears?"

"Yes! I noticed them a few days ago," Lizzie said, preparing the bottle.

"It's heartbreaking!" Gigi moaned, trying to wipe them away.

"You have no idea. Don't tell William but I swear I saw him tearing up last night when Eleanor started crying," Lizzie told her. "He spent longer than usual with her last night making sure she was okay."

Once the bottle was warm enough, Lizzie handed it to Gigi and they went back to the living room. Lizzie helped Gigi get comfortable, setting the baby up with the Boppy pillow and she took to the bottle almost immediately. "Wow. She really is hungry."

William returned to the living room a minute later, finishing up the phone call. "Yes, I'm glad to hear it. I'll talk to you again soon. Bye." He hung up and slipped the phone back in his pocket. "Everything okay?"

"That was going to be my question. Eleanor was hungry so Gigi's giving her a bottle," Lizzie said, pointing it out. "Who was on the phone?"

"Brookings. He's been keeping me up to date on filling the head of communications position."

"Ooh! I've been hearing whispers of someone being hired," Gigi spoke up.

"Well, you may have a leg up on everybody else. We've been trying to lure Naveen Bhatt from the London offices," William said, heading to the kitchen to grab a bottle of water and not catching the fleeting look on Gigi's face. "What do you know about him?"

"Naveen? He's great. I mean, he works well with others and he really showed initiative when I worked with him. Plus, he knows what he wants. There's a reason I made him manager."

"Good to hear." William joined them in the living room, sitting next to Lizzie. "He finally accepted our offer, even though we would have gone higher on the salary if he held out longer. Plus, we're giving him a month to train a new manager for the London office and move here, we're paying for his relocation expenses, and Brookings is offering his guest apartment for the first month."

"Wow. If you offered that to me, maybe I would have come work for you," Lizzie joked, nudging his side.

"I could have offered all that and to pay off your school debt and you still would have started your own company," William chuckled.

"You did offer that," Lizzie said. "I'm very happy to be able to say I paid that off in full without any help at all."

"And I'm proud of you," William said warmly, leaning in and giving her a kiss. "I still would have built an entire department around you."

Lizzie smiled. "I know."

"I'm in the room," Gigi deadpanned.

"Oh please. Hardly the worst we've done in front of you," Lizzie said, looking at her. "How is Eleanor doing?"

"Still eating away."

"Speaking of eating, how would you ladies like some lunch? I can pick up something," William offered. They took a few minutes to figure out where he would go and what they wanted. He kissed Lizzie and Eleanor goodbye before promising to be back soon.

"Okay, spill," Lizzie said, immediately after the front door closed shut.

"Spill what?" Gigi asked in confusion.

"About this Naveen guy. William may not have noticed your reaction when he mentioned his name but I sure did. There's more to the story than you being his manager," Lizzie said.

"It's…not a big deal," Gigi said, trying to brush it off. Lizzie stared her down. Gigi finally broke after a minute. "Fine. We kind of had an ongoing flirty thing going on while I was there. It was pretty innocent and we agreed to never let it get past that because I was coming back here and I was his boss."

"But now he's in charge of his own department," Lizzie pointed out.

"I'm sure he's moved on from work flirting," Gigi waved it off.

"If he took the offer, I doubt he's attached to anybody right now. You should check in with him once he gets here."

"So pushy!" Gigi scoffed.

"Coming from the woman who literally pushed her brother into the room I was in to get us together."

"It worked, didn't it?" Gigi said smugly and Lizzie laughed. "But please don't do that to me."

"Don't worry. This one's all you," Lizzie promised before checking on her daughter, who was done with the bottle. Gigi picked her up, moving the drool cloth to her shoulder before she started patting her back to burp her. Lizzie grabbed the bottle from Gigi and took it to the kitchen to clean it. "I'm interested to know what he looks like though."

"Well, he's Indian but he was born in England so he has a great British accent. He's tall and lean. He ran every morning when I was there so he has a runner's body," Gigi said. "He has black hair, dark eyes…looks great in a suit."

"He sounds pretty cute," Lizzie said, sitting back beside her. "And anybody who can pull off a suit gets an A in my book."

"You really have a thing for suits, don't you?" Gigi teased.

"I blame William," Lizzie shrugged. "Truth be told, I've sort of missed seeing him in a suit these past few months. We've only been a few places that called for them."

"He does love his suits, but I always like seeing him more relaxed," Gigi said, pausing when Eleanor let out a loud burp. "Excuse _you_ , Ellie."

"She thinks it's hysterical. See her little smile?" Lizzie pointed out, leaning in and kissing Eleanor's forehead. "Yea. You think you're so cute."

"She _is_ so cute though," Gigi said, propping her up on her lap and supporting her neck. "And she's just going to get cuter!"

"I'm really looking forward to seeing her get bigger," Lizzie said wistfully. "But at the same time, I want her to stay this small. She's my little girl and I love her so much."

"It'll be fine," Gigi said reassuringly, handing Eleanor over to her. "As she gets bigger, the more you'll love her. She really did luck out with her parents. You're both overflowing with love and you get to share that with her."

Lizzie exhaled and gave her a one-armed hug. "Thanks, Gigi. I'm so glad you're back."

Gigi smiled. "I'm glad I'm back too."

* * *

 _Wednesday, January 16th_

Eleanor had a particularly bad night that kept all three of them awake. Every time they got her to stop crying, she would start back up again when they would try to put her down. Just before six am, William succeeded in getting her to sleep but he was stuck sitting up on the couch, not daring to move for fear she'd wake up again.

Less than two hours later, Lizzie got a frantic phone call from Katie. Andrea had had a minor accident and was stuck in the emergency room with no signs of being released any time soon. There was a meeting with a particular client who would only ever talk with Lizzie or Andrea and never liked to reschedule. She had no choice but to go in. It took what little energy she had left to pry herself away from her family and go to work.

Lizzie returned mid-morning, with breakfast from William's favorite place, hoping things had settled down. She nearly laughed at the sight before her. Eleanor was asleep in her swing seat, which had been brought right next to the couch. William was passed next to her and he had one leg hanging over the couch, with one foot on the floor. His glasses were slightly askew and one arm was stretched out and resting on the lip of the seat. She quietly went to the kitchen so as not to wake him but he must have heard the gentle thud of the fridge when she opened it.

William shot up into a sitting position, surprising Lizzie with his alertness. "Eleanor!"

"Will! It's okay," Lizzie said in a loud whisper. "It's just me."

William groaned, taking off his glasses and rubbing his eyes. He put them back on and turned his back to her, checking on the baby for a moment. Satisfied that she was still asleep, he got up and joined Lizzie in the kitchen. "When did you get back?"

"Only a few minutes ago. Breakfast?" Lizzie made a gesture to the food in front of her. William nodded and grabbed two plates from the cabinet, handing her one. "I see you managed to get her down."

"I did. She woke back up minutes after you left. After I changed her and gave her a bottle, she calmed back down. I think she finally passed out about…" William glanced at the clock, "—twenty minutes ago? I didn't even mean to fall asleep."

"You're tired," Lizzie said, rubbing his back. She caught a quick smile before it morphed into a yawn.

"How was the meeting?" William asked, transferring food onto his plate.

"It went better than I expected. I couldn't tell you half of what I said because of last night but he must have liked it. He decided to extend his contract by two year instead of one," Lizzie told him.

"Lizzie, that's great," William commended her. "I'm glad it all worked out. Is Andrea okay?"

"I called her when I got out of the meeting to fill her in. She told me she had a disagreement with some stairs in her apartment and twisted her ankle pretty badly. She thought it was broken until the doctor said otherwise. She'll be back to work tomorrow with a lovely new pair of crutches," Lizzie said. William grimaced.

"Ouch. At least it wasn't worse," William said. He nodded over to the dining room table before walking over to sit down. "Hopefully Eleanor stays asleep a bit longer."

"She looks pretty peaceful," Lizzie commented, pausing by her swing seat to check on her before sitting down next to him. "Will, thank you for everything you did last night and this morning. I know it was really stressful."

"We've been pretty lucky with her but this won't be a one-time occurrence. We're going to have more days like this," William said soberly.

His words stuck with her as they ate. It was true. Going back to work wasn't going to be as easy as they'd hoped. Parenthood was unpredictable. She felt dead on her feet after one meeting and she was the one who managed to get a little more sleep than William.

Once they finished, William took care of the dishes and cleaned up and Lizzie sat down in the living room. The baby was still sleeping. She watched her for a few minutes and she looked as peaceful as ever. At least somebody in this family was getting the rest they needed. That thought brought her some comfort. William came over to sit down next to her and she flashed him a smile when he reached over and gave her hand a comforting squeeze.

"I'm ready to talk if you are," William spoke up.

"Our plan isn't going to work," Lizzie said sadly as he nodded. "Splitting our work days sounded good in theory…"

"But it's not going to go according to plan," William finished. "So, let's talk about the obvious."

"Number one is Eleanor, of course," Lizzie said, quickly glancing at their sleeping daughter. "She needs stability. I know she'd hate the half and half days."

"And two would be our companies. You have proven this morning how much you're needed," William said.

"You're needed too," Lizzie frowned.

"I know, but my company isn't the one still growing rapidly. You still have clients that expect to see _you_ specifically. You're the one personally convincing them to sign contracts and use your services. You're right in the thick of it," William explained.

"Ugh. And limiting my schedule will only make it worse," Lizzie groaned. "I don't know what we should do."

"We agree that we don't want a nanny," William said and Lizzie nodded.

"I want at least one of us to be witness to the big milestones," Lizzie said. "And I still think she's too young for daycare."

"I think we should figure this out today. We only have a couple weeks left," William pointed out.

William got his calendar so they could have a visual in front of them. They started discussing different possibilities, including when they were both comfortable with her going to daycare.

"Just because you can take the entire year off doesn't mean you _should_ ," Lizzie said emphatically. "You're the face of Pemberley. You know the board wouldn't like it at all."

"Lizzie, I adopted the year-long parental leave for a reason, so couples don't have to worry about things like this," William frowned. "I'm willing to do this for you and Eleanor."

"No. Nope. We have to find a better compromise than you taking an entire year off." Lizzie shook her head. "You're just as necessary to your company as I am to mine, Will. Don't pretend that you aren't."

"I'm not saying that I'm not. But in the last couple months before Eleanor was born, I started delegating some of my day-to-day duties to other executives so I could focus on the big picture projects. I still have the most authority within the company but I wanted everybody to have more responsibilities. Plus, in doing so, it limits my business trips to once or twice a year. I made it a guarantee that I'd be able to leave work by five," William explained. "In a fantasy world, I'd never go back to work again and would just take care of Eleanor all the time without having to worry about this."

"You can't do that," Lizzie said, looking down at her lap. William sighed and lifted her chin with his finger so she would look at him.

"I won't. Pemberley is important to me. It's been part of my life for as long as I can remember and I'm proud to be continuing the legacy of my parents through it. But you and Eleanor are even more important to me so you come first," William said. "There's a balance somewhere. Take a year off, work from home, take her with me to work…"

"Work from home?"

"It was the other solution I was thinking of. I could work from home until she's old enough for daycare. I have an office for a reason. I don't know if you knew this but I was sort of a workaholic before you came along," William said and Lizzie laughed softly.

"I never would have guessed."

With his suggestion, they developed things from there. It took them some time and Eleanor woke up near the end of their conversation, crying for a diaper change. They welcomed the interruption and William changed her, bringing her back to Lizzie so she could breastfeed. He gave her some time alone with her daughter and headed downstairs to the exercise room to do his daily yoga, albeit a bit later than usual. By the time he finished up and returned upstairs, Lizzie was burping Eleanor and swaying in place. When she noticed him, her face lit up and she smiled at him.

"You know, the more I think about this potential plan of ours, the more I already miss her," Lizzie said, patting her daughter on the back. "It almost feels like you're getting the better end of the deal."

"Oh, love," William said softly, closing the distance between them and sliding his arm around her waist. He kissed her temple and she sighed. "We both know we're going to be working equally hard. I'm going to sound like Bing for a second but while I was doing yoga, I felt better and my mind cleared up so I could see what we needed before Eleanor interrupted us."

"And?"

William led them back to the couch and they settled down.

"I work from home, like we discussed, but only Monday through Thursday. For Fridays, you take the day off and spend it with her. You said yourself that those are your quietest days. I go to work and schedule any meetings then. That way, I'm still being seen around the office on a weekly basis," William said.

Their plan took real shape after that. William would be on call on Mondays but would only be asked to come in if it was really necessary. Eleanor would come with him and be introduced to the daycare that was available at Pemberley Digital. After that first month, he would bring her to work every Monday no matter what so she could begin to adjust to the change. Once she hit her six month milestone, William would return to work full time and Eleanor would be coming with him every day.

"Also, your offices are so close to mine that you can always come over for lunch or a mid-afternoon visit whenever you miss her," William told her.

"That is the best part," Lizzie agreed. "Did we really finally figure it out?"

"I'm going to have to make a few phone calls to get everything set up but considering I know the boss," William told her with a wink, "we're going to be fine."

"I can't believe we only have a couple weeks left before we go back. I want more time with her," Lizzie said, resting Eleanor on her propped up legs.

"We're just going to have to make the most of these days," William said, tickling Eleanor's belly. She smiled and cooed while Lizzie yawned. "But today might be a lost cause."

"I'm sorry. I'm so tired," Lizzie apologized, resting her head on his shoulder. "You must be more so."

"I'm beyond exhausted," William admitted. "Yoga helped but my back still hurts a bit from sitting up so long."

"What are the chances we can play with her enough to tire her out so we can all manage a nap?"

"Right now, I'm thinking anything is possible."

* * *

 _Saturday, January 26th_

The next week and a half passed by far too quickly for the Darcy family. Eleanor was getting stronger each day and was just starting to push herself up when she was on her stomach. She was becoming more active with Lizzie and William, grabbing toys and swatting at objects when they held them above her. Eleanor even began recognizing them from across the room and would track their movements. She smiled all the time with them and began making a few more noises when they played with her.

Lizzie and William wanted to get back into the routine of their monthly dinners with their group. They offered to host the dinner at their place and everybody was able to make it this time, which hadn't happened in a while. Fitz and Brandon were the first to arrive, complete with dessert in tow.

"Darcy!" Fitz said as he opened the door. "How are you doing? Where's my sunshine?"

"Hi Fitz. Hi Brandon," William beckoned them in, giving them both a hug hello. "I'm good. Your sunshine is in the nursery with Lizzie being changed. She wasn't a fan of her first outfit so she spit up all over it."

"Ah parenthood," Fitz joked.

"I made a cake," Brandon said, putting it down on the kitchen counter. He removed his jacket and Fitz took it to hang up with his. William noticed there was the number three on the top of it and raised a surprised eyebrow. "Fitz reminded me that Eleanor is three months today."

"We were already getting to together to have dinner," Fitz said, coming back from around the corner. "Why not make it a little celebration?"

"Sounds good to me," William smiled, returning to the stove.

"Need any help?" Brandon offered.

"I'm making stew so I've got it covered but I haven't gotten around to setting the table yet," William said. Brandon got right to work, grabbing dishes from the cabinet, while Fitz grabbed utensils. It was a few minutes before they heard the sound of footsteps coming from the hallway in the direction of the nursery.

"Did I hear somebody arrive?" Lizzie asked, walking in holding Eleanor. She turned to see Fitz and Brandon at the table and smiled at the sight of them. "Hey, you two! Ellie, look who it is!"

"Lizzie D!" Fitz hailed, putting the last plate down and walking over to her. He gave her a quick hug and grinned as he took Eleanor from Lizzie's arms, peppering kisses all over her cheeks. She smiled wide and waved her arms around. "Hello, Sunshine! Did you miss me? I missed you! Are you giving your mama a hard time?"

"She completely missed me this time!" Lizzie bragged, hearing William chuckle behind her. She brushed a hand along her daughter's cheek and smiled. "She ate a bit more than usual so it just came back up. Nothing too bad."

"Think she's having another growth spurt?" Fitz asked, bouncing her in his arms.

"Oh yeah. She's been like this the last couple days. She's eating and napping a lot, which is consistent with her last growth spurts" Lizzie explained. "And I'll gladly take that over no sleep at all and being cranky all night."

"Another fun part of parenthood," Brandon commented, appearing by Lizzie's side to give her a hug hello.

She, Fitz, and Brandon caught up for a few minutes, talking about the most recent monthly dinners and some things she missed out on. Fitz entertained Eleanor easily and made her smile constant as he dangled a rattling toy above her. The toys with noise were her favorite the past couple weeks and she gave them the most attention.

Gigi, Charlotte, and Sam happened to arrive together, bringing their side dishes and drinks into the kitchen before the girls joined the group in the living room. Sam stayed to help William get food to the table. Lydia and Adam were the last to arrive, with bread in hand, and just in time for dinner to be served. Everybody took seats and Lizzie put Eleanor in her swing seat, pulling her up to the table between her and William. While they ate, they talked about how the entire group was at a dinner, for once and how glad they were that there was another dinner guest with them, even if she was falling asleep fast.

"Don't take offense to the sleeping baby. You're all far from boring," Lizzie joked. Adam talked about the new musical that he got a part in, which would be doing previews at Lydia's theater in two months' time. They'd be working together again, so to speak, and they were excited about it. Sam was doing well with his patients and his practice was steadily improving, gaining a handful of new patients in the past few months. Gigi was going off on another business trip, this time to L.A. where she would be meeting with another international liaison. Lizzie and William mainly had stories of Eleanor to contribute.

"She really does get cuter every time I see her," Fitz commented.

"We'd like to think so too," Lizzie said. "And we want to thank you for agreeing to babysit on Thursday."

"It's no trouble at all. I get to spend more time with my niece and you two get to celebrate your anniversary! It's a win-win!" Fitz said.

"Right! It's your anniversary!" Lydia gasped. "How adorbs!"

"Four years," Lizzie said

"And we'll have been together for six come March," William said tenderly, leaning over and kissing Lizzie's temple.

"And they're still gross," Charlotte joked. Lizzie stuck her tongue out at her.

"You two are about to hit your one year! Have anything special planned?" Lizzie asked Charlotte and Sam.

"Kind of hard to top a surprise wedding," Sam said. "But I've got something up my sleeve."

"You had a surprise wedding?" Adam spoke up.

"It was a surprise even to me," Charlotte said. "We were going to Hawaii and I had suspicions he was going to propose. He did but a wedding was also planned."

"We didn't have a long engagement either," Brandon said, entwining his fingers with Fitz's. "He proposed on Valentine's Day and we got married the next day at city hall with Lizzie and William as our witnesses."

"And we had an impromptu reception at the Tonga Room," Fitz finished up. "It'll be five years next month."

"Wow," Adam said, half-smiling before turning the attention back to Lizzie. "So, what are your plans your anniversary?"

"Oh, I don't bother asking anymore. He likes to surprise me," Lizzie said.

"Thankfully, she's likes my surprises so I don't have anything to worry about," William said, pausing as he heard gurgling next to him.

"Somebody's awake," Fitz pointed out.

"I see that! Hi sweetheart," William said affectionately. He took her out of her seat and put her up in his lap, propping her against him. "She's ready for another round of rousing conversation."

"I think we can provide that," Sam said, making a face at Eleanor. She simply looked at him curiously. The group spent a couple minutes entertaining her to get her to smile, getting hints of her gummy grin. William was the one to get the biggest smile of them all when he blew a raspberry against her belly. He continued on and Lizzie joined in, playing and smiling along.

"Should we have some dessert?" Lydia asked after watching the amusing display for a few minutes. "I thought I spotted something delicious."

"Brandon was awesome and baked a cake from scratch" Lizzie said.

"It's not from the bakery you love but it is chocolate cake with a chocolate ganache filling and frosting," Brandon said.

"You had me at chocolate!"

* * *

The rest of Lizzie's maternity leave was going by faster than she would have liked. She could hardly believe how quickly three months had gone by or that she wouldn't be seeing her daughter all throughout the day. William reassured her that things would work out and he and Eleanor would stop by for lunch on the days he worked from home, just so she could have a little time with her to tide her over until the evening. It was going to be difficult but she was strong enough to get through it all.

William also had effortlessly taken over all morning duties of getting Eleanor ready for the day, as well. With him doing that, the main adjustment to Lizzie's own schedule would be to leave enough time to nurse. Even though she wasn't back at work just yet, she knew that their decision to change their work schedules was a good one.

* * *

 _Thursday, January 31st_

Their wedding anniversary was a day that she always looked forward to because William loved to make special plans for their anniversaries. Before him, she wasn't a fan of surprises and now she loved seeing what he could come up with.

Eleanor had woken them up with her soft cries over the baby monitor and William got up, kissing her good morning and telling her to stay in bed. She listened to him talk to their daughter on the monitor in that sweet tone of his and heard her cooing along. She closed her eyes and could feel herself drifting off, somewhere between being completely relaxed and actual sleep. She vaguely heard the footsteps of William but it didn't register that he was in the room until he spoke.

"You want to wake up Mommy, sweetheart? Let's wake her up."

There was a creak of the floorboard near the bed and she felt something brush against her nose. She swatted at it but found nothing before opening her eyes. William was holding Eleanor face out and had one hand enclosed around hers, making sure she wouldn't drop the single geranium flower in her hand. She immediately smiled.

"Is that for me?" Lizzie asked, sitting up in bed.

"It is. She really wanted to give you a present," William said with a twinkle in his eyes. She took the flower from her daughter and took a whiff of the fresh flower.

"Thank you, baby girl," Lizzie murmured, lightly brushing the flower across the bridge of Eleanor's nose. She gave her mom a smile in return. Lizzie slid the flower in her hair, just above her ear, and took her from William's arms. Then she laughed when she saw that he dressed her in a onesie that said 'I woke up this cute' on the front.

"I'm going to make us some breakfast. I'll see you out there when you're done nursing her."

Eleanor was in an exceptionally good mood so nursing went by pretty quickly. The days where she was hungry but not yet crying for food were the easiest for both of them. One she was finished and burped, Lizzie took her out to join William in the kitchen. She nearly gasped when she turned the corner from the hallway. There were four different arrangements of hydrangeas and geraniums spread out throughout their place. One was in the living room, one was on the dining room table, and two were on the kitchen island.

"Will, these are lovely," Lizzie sighed, inhaling that deep scent of flowers. She brought her daughter with her to check each one out and saw how curious Eleanor was about them.

"I was given conflicting information on whether the four-year anniversary flower was the geranium or the hydrangea," William said from the stovetop, glancing over his shoulder at her. "I chose both. Four arrangements for the four years we've been married."

"They're all beautiful. It really brightens up the place."

William got back to the pancakes and Lizzie took a seat at the counter, propping the baby on her lap so they could watch him at work. He put on a show for his two ladies, flipping the pancakes in the air and catching them in the pan. Lizzie took Eleanor's hands and had her clapping while he flipped a few more, making their daughter coo and smile. They were his audience while he prepared breakfast and he made it entertaining, always wanting one more smile out of Eleanor.

Her good mood continued through breakfast as Lizzie and William ate, the dishes were clean, and the two got ready for the day. They spent the morning with their daughter, alternating between tummy time and playing around. William started a game of extreme hide and seek, where Lizzie was on the couch and he would pop up behind it. Eleanor cooed and smiled every time he popped up, making a different face every time. Then after one particularly silly face, the very distinct sound of laughter came from her. The two of them paused and looked at each other, wide-eyed and taken aback.

"Did she just laugh?" William asked and Lizzie nodded quickly. Lizzie told him to keep going. He hid behind the couch for a moment only to pop back up a moment later and it happened again. She laughed. It wasn't a fluke. William reached over and tickled her belly. "Are you laughing at me, sweetheart?"

"She would never," Lizzie said. She bounced her around on her lap and started making silly sounds, getting a little gurgling laugh. Lizzie and William couldn't help but laugh along and she kept laughing, as if she started imitating them.

"Oh my god. This is the greatest!" Lizzie said between her chuckles. William stood up and came over, taking Eleanor out of Lizzie's arms so she could grab her phone. He had a huge smile on his face as he kept eye contact with her, moving her around the living room with swooping movements. Lizzie caught the whole interaction on camera, watching as Eleanor discovered her own laughter. She captured her infectious giggles for a bit before she let out a big yawn and her giggles turned back into tired smiles. William brought her against his chest and swayed in spot, rubbing her back and pressing his lips to her head to hum. It was a trick they learned to get her to nap but it only worked on certain occasion, like today. William finally sat down as she nodded off.

"She just made this day even better than it already was," William said softly.

"I'm so glad I didn't miss that."

"Same here."

"Her first smile and now her first laugh? Another milestone," Lizzie sighed happily. "I know I may miss others but that was…joyous."

William smiled at her sympathetically and leaned over, kissing her softly.

"I will always have my phone on hand to capture any and all moments worth capturing when you're at work," William promised. Lizzie brushed a hand along his cheek.

"Thank you," Lizzie murmured. "Come on. Let's see if we can get Eleanor down without waking her."

* * *

Lizzie didn't even ask for a single hint on where they were going or what they were doing for the evening. She knew to dress up because William rarely did anything casual. Besides, she was excited to wear a dress that Jane had sent her, along with a matching tie for William.

She put on a teal dress with a full, tulle-lined skirt and stopped just below her knees. The sleeves sat at the edge of her shoulders and both the top and bottom had scalloped edges. There was intricate embroidery that flared up from the bottom of her skirt and covered the entire top half. She zipped up the side and smoothed the dress down before stepping into black heels. Her hair was curled and half up to show off some earrings William had given her and wore a light amount of makeup. She checked herself out in the mirror and heard footsteps in the bedroom so she turned off the light, finishing up in the bathroom.

"Will? I put the tie on the bed. Did you find…" Lizzie started, seeing him putting it around his neck. "You did."

William stopped what he was doing. "Love, you look gorgeous."

Lizzie beamed. "You're looking pretty handsome yourself."

William was wearing a charcoal gray suit with a white shirt button up and black dress shoes. His hair was artfully messy and he was donning his glasses instead of wearing his contacts. Lizzie came up to him and offered to knot his tie, using one of the fancier knots that she perfected over the years. She tightened and straightened it up before running a hand down it.

"Now you're ready," Lizzie said. William bent down and kissed her. "Your attire tells me that I'm appropriately dressed."

"You are," William said.

"Did I hear Fitz arrive?"

"He's playing with Eleanor in the living room," William said. "I'm still waiting for our car to get here."

Lizzie grabbed her purse from the nightstand. "That should give me enough time to give Fitz the babysitting spiel then."

William chuckled as he followed Lizzie into the living room.

"Lizzie D! So snazzy!" Fitz stood up from the couch, holding Eleanor in his arms and looking to her. "Look how pretty your Mama is, Sunshine."

Lizzie gave him a hug hello. "Thank you for doing this."

"It's no biggie," Fitz said. "We're gonna have lots of fun. We'll watch bad movies, stay up late, and eat all the junk food."

Lizzie raised an eyebrow but didn't take the bait.

"I nursed her thirty minutes ago. There's plenty of breastmilk in the fridge for when she gets hungry again. Her schedule in on the counter and all the emergency numbers are on it."

"I got this, Lizzie," Fitz assured her. "I won't let anything bad happen to her."

"You better not," Lizzie said.

"And have fun," Fitz winked. "Whatever it is you're doing."

"We will," William said. "And you too. If you're lucky, you may get her to laugh. She did it for the first time this morning."

"No! Really?" Fitz's expression looked like he was a kid in a candy shop. "Well, that's my new goal for the night!"

"Meanwhile, we should get going. The car is here," William told Lizzie.

"Oh, okay. Good night, my sweet girl," Lizzie said, giving Eleanor a kiss and a gentle squeeze. William did the same and they waved goodbye to Fitz before putting on their coats and heading downstairs. A black car was waiting for them and William helped Lizzie into it.

"I'm impressed. You haven't asked me for a hint at all today," William said, a few minutes into driving.

"If I asked you now, would you tell me?" Lizzie challenged.

"Maybe for a price," William teased. Lizzie scoffed and nudged him. "Hey. Don't be mean or you won't get your anniversary present."

"Ooh, a present? I have one for you too," Lizzie said. "It's back at home. It's more appropriate in a private setting."

"What a coincidence. Mine is too," William smirked.

"Now I'm even more intrigued."

"Good."

Soon, the car stopped and Lizzie glanced out the window. On one side was Golden Gate Park and on the other was a restaurant called Pacific Catch.

"Seafood?" Lizzie asked.

"We're not quite there yet," William said, helping her out of the car. "We have some time so I thought we'd walk the rest of the way."

"Our destination is in Golden Gate Park?"

William simply smiled.

"I see," Lizzie said, slipping her hand in his. "Well, you know my affinity for walks."

"I do."

William led them past the Lincoln Way entrance and they took their time as they passed the botanical gardens and the botanical gardens bookstore. There were plenty of people out, taking their sunset runs and walking home from work. Some parents were playing with their children and Lizzie and William talked about how excited they were to bring Eleanor once she was big enough. The weather was pleasant but still chilly enough for their coats. A group of bicyclists passed by them and then William turned into a narrower path, much less busy than the main road. They were on the path for a couple minutes until they reached the closed gates of Shakespeare Garden.

"I keep wanting to check this place out," Lizzie said, reading the times on the gate. "It closes at five. We just missed it by minutes."

"We can always ask," William said.

"Will, no. It's okay," Lizzie said. It didn't stop him from approaching the man inside, waiting behind the gate. They spoke low enough that she couldn't hear what he was asking and it wasn't a very long conversation. Then, to Lizzie's surprise, the man opened the gate and William looked back at her, holding out his hand. She smiled.

"This is our destination?" Lizzie asked, taking his hand. William nodded and led her through the gates. The man greeted them with a curt nod and closed the gates once they were inside. There was a brick path that led to a medium-sized tent at the very end, just past the grass. There were twinkling lights hung up all around the garden as well as in the trees that lined that path.

"Shall we?" William gestured, walking her up the path to the tent. Quiet jazz music could be heard as they approached and another man was waiting by the entryway. He smiled as he pulled back the flap to let them in. Inside the tent was a table for two, all set up for dinner and candles lit. There was some wine chilling in a bucket and two covered plates, all ready for them. A heater was set up near the table so they wouldn't be cold. William told her to look up and she saw that the roof of the tent was see through, which would allow them to see the stars. He kissed her shoulder before she sat down and then he took the seat across from her. The man opened the bottle of wine for them, uncovered their dish, and explained the meal before leaving them alone.

"Will…this is so lovely," Lizzie said.

"I wanted our celebration to be unique. Something where it would be just you and me," William said, taking the bottle of wine and pouring them each a glass of wine.

He raised his glass and she followed suit.

"Being married to you for the past four years have been the best years of my life. You've shown me what real love and courage is and you've given me the most beautiful daughter. Eleanor is made up of the best parts of you and me and I'm excited to see her grow," William sighed. "I understand true strength because of you and it drives me every day. I cannot say enough except that I'm looking forward to what the next four years brings us, as well as the next forty."

"More like sixty or seventy," Lizzie says lightly, watching one corner of his mouth lift. "You are the inspiration for my courage. You continually push and encourage me because you know what I'm truly capable of. Just like I know what you are capable of. You've made it so easy to love you and my favorite part of every day is the moment I fall in love with you again. I couldn't have found a better partner than you."

"Happy anniversary," William said, clinking his glass with hers. They each took a sip of their wine and then put their glasses down. William leaned across the table and kissed her softly, brushing his knuckles along her cheek, and looking at her tenderly. "I love you so much."

"I love you too," Lizzie murmured as he sat back down. "Ready to eat?"

* * *

Dinner was a few different courses and the only times they were interrupted were when their plates were switched out for a new one. The conversation flowed all throughout the evening. Lizzie talked about how she was simultaneously happy to be going back to work but dreading the time lost with their daughter. Around dessert, they started going down memory lane and reminiscing about their wedding day.

As soon as her plate was clear, William asked her to dance with him and she readily accepted. Despite the quiet music playing just outside for them, he hummed their song near her ear and she held onto him tighter. It was perfect evening for the two of them. Too soon, their evening in the garden was coming to a close.

William suggested they go for another walk to burn off the calories of their rich dinner. She took his hand and they wandered around the park, making future plans to visit the museums spread throughout the area. Time got away from them and William called their ride back. By the time they made it back home, it was almost ten. Fitz was in the living room, watching a movie on low volume.

"We're so sorry we were gone so long," Lizzie apologized, thanking him for watching Eleanor.

"Don't worry about it. You deserve to have a night out," Fitz said. "Ellie was great the whole night and thankfully didn't give her uncle a hard time. I got smiles out of her but no laugh."

"Maybe you're just not as funny as you used to be," William quipped.

"Ouch. I promise to step up my game for the next time," Fitz chuckled. "I followed your schedule and put her down about an hour ago, right after changing her diaper. She had a full bottle too so I'm sure she'll be sleeping for a while."

"You did a great job, Fitz." William said.

"Yea. You're staying on the babysitting list," Lizzie added.

"Good. I love that little girl too much," Fitz said honestly. "Anyway, I'm going to get going so you two kiddies can have the rest of the night to yourself."

They said their goodbyes and walked him to the door, promising he'd be able to come over and play with his niece again soon. Once he was gone, Lizzie and William checked on Eleanor and she was fast asleep in her crib, looking peaceful. They left and headed to the bedroom where Lizzie sat on the bed to remove her heels and William hung up his jacket.

"Tired?" William asked, unknotting his tie.

"Not really. Oh! I have your gift!" Lizzie said, standing up from the bed. "Let me get it."

"Thanks for reminding me. I'll be right back," William said, leaving the room for a moment. Lizzie went into the closet to get her present that she had hidden amongst her stuff. It wasn't a serious gift, just something fun that played off the theme for the four-year anniversary, which was silk.

"Is it bad I nearly forgot where I hid your gift?" William asked, walking back into the bedroom with a small gift bag.

"At least you found it," Lizzie said before handing him his gift. "This is more for fun than anything else."

"Yours is too." William put the gift bag down and took hers.

"Dinner in the park was more than enough," Lizzie said, watching him as he unwrapped the gift. He shimmied the top off the box and his eyebrows went up before he started laughing. He pulled out a pair of red silk boxers, put the box down, and held them up to his waist.

"These are classy," William said. "Now I need you to open your gift."

Lizzie took the bag and opened it up, understanding his reaction even more. She pulled out a white silk camisole, pair with matching little white shorts that had a slit up each side.

"You know what we should do?" William asked.

"Model them for each other before promptly undressing each other to have some really great anniversary sex?"

A grin slowly appeared on William's face, his dimples shining through.

"Great minds, love. Great minds."

* * *

 _Notes:_ _And with that, Eleanor is three months old already! Everything is going by so quickly. Are you ready for Lizzie and William to head back to work?_

 _Some extras will be posted on the blog, as always (dizzieslearningcurveseries on tumblr for any new readers)._

 _Thank you to the ever wonderful Sarah for all her hard work in editing this thing. She really does trim the fat and make each chapter better._

 _Hope you loved it!_


	23. The Adjustment Period

_Summary: Lizzie and William head back to work and find the transition even harder than they expected._

* * *

 _Notes: Another month and another chapter for you lovely, patient readers!_

* * *

 _Monday, February 4th_

"Lizzie…Lizzie…it's time to get up."

Lizzie groaned and pulled the sheets up over her head without opening her eyes. There was no way it was time. She swore that she had just gone to bed.

"Come on, love. The sooner you're up, the more time you'll have with Eleanor before you go to work," William said, his voice slightly muffled.

"I didn't even hear the alarm," Lizzie grumbled.

"I turned it off. I thought you'd like us to be your alarm on your first day back."

Lizzie pulled the sheets down to see William sitting on the edge of the bed with Eleanor propped on one leg, looking wide-eyed and curious. An adorable little smile appeared on her daughter's face as soon as she saw her and she let out a little coo. Lizzie sighed and reached over, brushing a hand across her cheek. It was exactly the way she wanted to be woken up.

"I can't believe I have to leave this face today," Lizzie pouted, sitting up in bed. William handed Eleanor over to her and Lizzie held her close to her chest. "Today is going to be hard."

"You're strong enough to get through it," William assured.

"Maybe I can postpone and wait to go back next week?" Lizzie suggested weakly.

"And then you'll have to struggle through the first day again," William said. "Besides, you said you have meetings lined up all week with clients. How would it look to cancel at the last minute?"

"But look at this baby girl!" Lizzie said, turning her to face William. It was then that Lizzie noticed the drool on her shirt from Eleanor's spit bubbles and sighed. "Thanks, little one. I guess now is as good a time as any to get up. Did you feed her?"

William shook his head, taking Eleanor back and wiping the spittle from her chin with a cloth.

"I changed her and got her ready. Thought you'd like that honor before you leave."

"Thanks," Lizzie said sincerely, getting out of bed and heading to the bathroom.

Lizzie was thankful William woke her up before the alarm. Being off work for three months had thrown her out of her normal routine. It didn't help that she could hear the hungry cries of her daughter while she was only half ready. She ended up foregoing doing anything fancy to her hair and practically ran to the kitchen. William was walking back and forth and rubbing Eleanor's back, doing his best to calm her while they waited. Lizzie threw him a sympathetic glance before taking her to the nursery.

Eleanor was hungry enough that she didn't take much time and Lizzie was almost sad about it. She kept glancing at the clock and knew it was nearly time to go. She loved her company and everything about it but the thought of not being with her daughter left a knot in her stomach. How did working mothers manage to go back to work so soon?

Her daughter was done eating and had already been burped. All Lizzie was doing now was getting lost in her thoughts. There was only so much time left before she needed to head out. She exhaled and headed to the kitchen. William had made her a hearty breakfast and her favorite tea. As much as she wanted more time with both of them, she couldn't dawdle anymore. She picked up Eleanor and held her close.

"I'm going to miss Eleanor so much…and you too, of course," Lizzie sighed, feeling that familiar sting in her eyes.

"It will be okay," William said softly, kissed her forehead. "I'll send you pictures and texts to get you through the day and you can call on your down time. You'll be fine."

"But I'm not right now," Lizzie admitted, a tear slipping down her cheek. William brushed the tear away.

"Oh, Lizzie. I know you can do this," William said, his voice full of encouragement. "You'll have to help get me out that door on Friday."

Lizzie tried to keep the rest of the tears at bay. It failed when Eleanor cooed and snuggled up to her. Lizzie kissed her head and quickly wiped away the few tears that escaped. "She's making it so hard to go."

"I know, love," William said softly, trying to comfort her. "But before you know it, you'll be back home with us. The day is going to go by so quickly and you'll have her in your arms again."

"You promise to keep me updated? Send me pictures?" Lizzie asked.

"Absolutely," William promised, crossing his heart. "We are going to miss you as much as you miss us so you'll hear from me often."

"Thank you," Lizzie murmured, pressing her cheek to Eleanor's forehead. She closed her eyes and hugged her daughter for as long as she could.

"Lizzie," William said to get her attention. She opened her eyes. "I'm not trying to push you out the door but you don't want to be _too_ late for your first day back."

"You might just _have_ to push me out the door," Lizzie joked feebly and William chuckled. He silently asked for permission to take Eleanor from her arms and she nodded hesitantly. He put their daughter in her swing seat and then pulled Lizzie in for a comforting hug, brushing his hand up and down her back.

"I love you. Eleanor loves you," William said, soothing her. "You just have to go through that door so you can come back to us tonight."

"Okay," Lizzie said, exhaling. She pulled away slightly and then he kissed her, offering her the most heartwarming smile when he broke away.

"You ready?" William asked.

Lizzie took one more deep breath to brace herself. "I'm ready."

"You're going to have a productive day," William stated, handing over her work bag and breast pump bag.

"I'm going to have a productive day," Lizzie repeated.

"And you'll call if you feel like you might break down from missing us."

"I will call you when I miss you."

"Good," William said, picking Eleanor back up. "Now give your daughter a kiss and a hug and get to work."

Lizzie mentally thanked him for his assertive behavior and took Eleanor, hugging her tightly before kissing her all over her face. She cooed in delight and smiled at her as she handed her back to William.

" _Now_ I'm leaving," Lizzie said, even as she found herself rooted to the spot. William nodded and took Eleanor's hand, making her wave goodbye to her.

"Bye Mommy. We love you," William said warmly. "We'll see you after work."

Lizzie whimpered at the cute display, refusing to let the tears return, and gave them each one more kiss. Then she exhaled, squared her shoulders, and walked out the door to head to work. Her heart was heavy. Today was going to be a long day.

* * *

William knew that staying home to take care of Eleanor and working at the same time would be a challenge, one that he happily accepted for the sake of his wife and daughter. He quickly realized, though, that the routine that he and Lizzie had developed over the past three months was going to have to change drastically since it was clearly designed for two people. There was only one of them to keep an eye on Eleanor at all times, which made him feel more protective and cautious and unable to do anything else but watch her.

With how difficult it was for Lizzie to leave, he expected to hear from her every hour, so he was more impressed when she only checked in three times in the morning. Three months was a long time to be away from work and she would have a lot to catch up on. His morning ended up being mostly taken over by his daughter and he only managed to deal with work and his emails for a few minutes at a time before she'd need him. It wasn't until Eleanor fell asleep after a particularly active tummy time that he was able to get back in his work groove. He didn't realize the time until he could feel his phone buzzing in his pocket.

"William Darcy speaking," he answered automatically.

"Wow. So formal. Did I catch you at a bad time?" Lizzie said on the other end.

"Hey," William said warmly. "Sorry, it could have been work. I didn't check the number."

"I like your business voice," Lizzie said in a playful tone and he smiled to himself.

William checked his screen and then noticed the time. "It's nearly one?"

"It's been a busy day. The only breaks I've taken have been to pump. I can finally breathe for a few minutes," Lizzie told him. "How's Eleanor?"

"She's good. She's been keeping me busy too," William said, looking at his sleeping daughter. "She's napping now."

"Having any trouble?"

"Not necessarily. The two of us have been…reevaluating the daily schedule," William said. "We'll figure it out."

"It sounds like we both have our work cut out for us."

"Yes. I'll tell you more when you come home," William said.

"I'm really looking forward to it," Lizzie said softly.

"We are too," William told her. Eleanor stirred and made a little squeak as she yawned. William rubbed her belly for a few moments and she went back to sleep with a hint of a smile on her lips. "And listen, the day's half over. While I'd love to keep talking to you, I should probably make myself some lunch and get a little more work in before this little one is up."

"I need to eat something before my next meeting. I'll check in with you later?"

"You got it," William said. "Have a good rest of the day. Love you."

"I hope you manage to get some more work done. Love you too."

Eleanor made sure that the afternoon was just as busy for William as the morning was. After another round of feeding and changing her diaper, he spent a while playing with her before going back to his emails. Her growing curiosity was entertaining, to say the least. She had discovered her hands in the past day and couldn't stop playing with them. Every time he looked over at her, she'd be staring and waving her hands in front of her face.

"What do you have there, sweetheart? Is that your hand?" William asked. She was cooing and babbling and her eyes would go wide whenever she moved them. She stuck her fingers in her mouth and squealed. "Crazy, huh? You'll be able to do so much with them too! Just wait until you discover your feet!"

When she pulled her hand out of her mouth, she waved it around again. He reached over and tickled her belly, making her squeal with delight and kick her feet out of excitement.

"You make it so hard to work, little missy," William said. Eleanor stopped kicking and stared at him. "You and I are going to have to make a compromise, okay? You stop being so cute and then I can get things done. Does that sound good to you?"

Eleanor was in no mood for negotiations and ignored what he said. He reached over and took her hand, pretending to shake it and making an overly serious face. In turn, she resumed kicking her legs and laughed. William closed his laptop and put it on the coffee table.

"You are a bold one. You're laughing in the middle of negotiations? If that's how you're going to be with me…" William picked her up. He started blowing raspberries against her belly, making her laugh even more. He would never get enough of that delightful sound. Pretty soon, her laughter was replaced with hiccups. "Uh oh!"

He laughed and brought her down to his chest, rubbing her back to try and calm her down.

"Daddy's sorry. They'll be gone soon," William murmured in a soothing tone.

Eventually, her hiccups went away and she fell asleep on his chest. He ended up spending the rest of the afternoon with her propped against his chest, not wanting to wake her. It seemed to work out for the both of them. She napped on him while he caught up on emails and other work information. He'd pause whenever she let out an uneven breath before he continued. It wasn't until Lizzie texted to say she'd be home in an hour that he had to move so he could make dinner.

Eleanor was not happy about it at all. He tried, but he couldn't move her without waking her. She'd scream every time he put her down and it was hard enough to change her diaper like that. There was no way he was going to let her go on while he made dinner. It was impossible to cook with one hand though, so in the end, he used the Moby wrap. It took him two attempts but he got Eleanor comfortably situated to his chest and she was significantly happier about it.

"You're always going to get what you want, aren't you," William teased, kissing the top of her head. "Come on. Let's get dinner made before Mommy gets home."

Lizzie hadn't been this excited to come home from work in a long time. Granted, she always loved coming home to William but now she was coming home to William _and_ their baby. She had a smile on her face from the time she left her office all the way to the front door.

"Hello! I'm home!" Lizzie said, her voice echoing down the front hallway as she closed the door behind her. "Where are my two favorite people?"

"Hello! In the kitchen!"

Lizzie hung up her coat before she headed in that direction, smiling as she heard William talking to Eleanor.

"Did you hear that, sweetheart? Mommy's home!"

Lizzie turned the corner and found William standing at the counter, tossing vegetables into a salad bowl, and Eleanor strapped to his chest.

"What's going on here?" Lizzie asked, putting her stuff down before walking up to them. They gave each other a kiss hello and she brushed her hand against the back of Eleanor's head.

"She didn't want to be put down but I had to make dinner," William said, stepping back and modeling his handiwork. "So, this was my solution."

"Adjusting well to the stay-at-home dad routine already, I see," Lizzie said. "Will she get upset if I detach her from you? I really need some baby hugs."

"Go ahead. She's in that mood where she doesn't want to be put down," William said. Lizzie unwrapped Eleanor from his chest and put the Moby wrap down. She held her close and inhaled her baby scent. It was exactly what she needed after a long day.

"I missed you, baby girl," Lizzie murmured. "I'm so glad I'm home."

"We are too," William said warmly. "Dinner should be ready in about ten minutes. Want to tell me about your day? Then you get to hear all about ours."

"I'm sure yours was more fun. Mine started with back-to-back meetings…"

The next few days worked out much the same way for William. It was a challenge to balance everything but things seemed to click into place by the end of Thursday. He made a point to tell Lizzie what had changed most in their previous schedule so she would have an easier time adjusting herself.

When he woke up on Friday, he immediately knew how Lizzie had been feeling the whole week. He found himself dragging his feet in getting ready for work. Lizzie was wonderful. She pushed him and used the same speech he had been using on her the whole week. After spending the last four days alone with Eleanor, she had to give him an actual push to get him out the door so he could get going.

Work kept him busy, especially since he had only made himself available to be in the office once a week. He had numerous conference calls and meetings that filled his morning and more of the same after lunch. Despite all of that, he found himself checking his phone at least once an hour. Fitz was smart enough to know not to tease him about it and would instead ask him how Eleanor was doing. He took any opportunity to talk about her and it seemed to motivate him to work harder. While he was happy to be back in the office, he was even happier to be heading home at the end of the day.

He felt a weight lift from his shoulders when he saw Lizzie and Eleanor. Lizzie was holding their daughter while she was looking through the take-out menus in the drawer.

"You two are a sight for sore eyes," William said, putting his messenger bag down on the counter.

"Hey," Lizzie greeted. "Long day?"

"I'll say. It felt like a week," William said, coming over and kissing her temple. He kissed Eleanor on the top of her head and bent to her level, saying hello in a sweet voice. "Do you remember how we felt when we went back to work right after our honeymoon? We couldn't wait to get home so we could see each other again?"

"Yea. I mean, I _still_ feel that way but go on," Lizzie said.

"Ever since we started dating and you moved in," William smiled and she nodded. "Eleanor has increased that feeling tenfold. I already loved coming home to my favorite person but now I'm coming home to my favorite person and the daughter we created. I was antsy today, to say the least."

"That's exactly how I've felt the last four days," Lizzie said. "But today was good."

"Yea? You and Eleanor have a nice day?"

"We did, didn't we, Ellie?" Lizzie addressed her before looking to William. She told him about their day in detail and he listened attentively. Eleanor started fussing a little and William took her from Lizzie's arms, calming her down while Lizzie continued. "And then we took a nap together. We completely lost track of time because we only woke up about thirty minutes ago. I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize. It's easy to lose track of time with her," William said.

"Well, I was going to make dinner but nothing in the fridge caught my interest," Lizzie said. "So I thought we'd order in?"

"Take-out food and more time with you two? Sounds like a perfect Friday night."

* * *

 _Thursday, February 14th_

Lizzie was not having the best day. Eleanor had woken up at five am screaming from hunger so her day started out earlier than planned. A meeting with one client ran longer than it should have and neither she nor Andrea could get it wrapped up. It made them late for the next meeting and that client was not happy. She had a conference call with Scholastic and had the dates confirmed for when she would need to fly to New York. For five days in the middle of March, she would be meeting with the executives to talk about the wrap-up of the first project and to hash out the details of the next. She was already dreading the thought of leaving Eleanor and William for so long.

On top of that, it was Valentine's Day and there had been numerous floral deliveries and singing candy-grams throughout the morning. Truth be told, she didn't even realize what day it was until she got into the office. They were so preoccupied this morning with Eleanor. Just after she nursed, she had a messy diaper incident. Lizzie was all ready to clean her up but William took over so she wouldn't be late. She really had to thank him for everything he was doing.

It was nearing the lunch hour when she heard voices outside her office. She figured it was another delivery, possibly for Katie or Andrea. She returned her attention back to her computer when Katie called her from reception.

"Lizzie? There's something out here for you."

"Would you mind signing it for me, Katie? I'll grab it on my way out to lunch."

"I would but they really need you."

Lizzie sighed. "I'll be right out."

She finished her email and sent it off before getting up. She had no idea why they were so insistent that she get it. She always had Katie sign for her packages. Smoothing down her skirt, she headed out and opened the door. Then she stopped in her tracks at the sight in front of her.

"William!"

He turned his head towards her and smiled at her, both Andrea and Katie at his sides. He was wearing the baby Bjorn and had Eleanor strapped to his chest, her arms and legs sticking out and the top of her head just barely showing. He held up a large paper bag to show that he brought her something.

"Eleanor and I thought we could have a lunch date with you," William said. "Katie assured me that your next hour is free."

"Oh, it is," Lizzie said warmly. She closed the distance between them and pulled him in for a quick kiss. "This is a great surprise. You're making my day better already."

"Andrea was just telling me," William said. She took the food from his hands so he could remove Eleanor from the baby Bjorn. Katie let out a little squeal over seeing her outfit and Lizzie's heart melted a little. Along with her matching red booties and beanie, he had dressed her in a onesie that said 'Made with Love' with the O replaced by a heart.

"She's so adorable!" Andrea said, bringing her hands to her chest. "Hiya, cutie! Coming to visit Mommy at work today?"

Eleanor stared at her while she talked to her, as if she were trying to figure out if she was a good or bad person. After a moment, she stuck her tongue out and blew bubbles at her.

"Well then." Andrea straightened up. "I need to tear myself away and go get some lunch before our meeting later. Enjoy your date! Bye Eleanor!"

"Later," Lizzie waved before ushering William into her office, closing the door behind her.

"I know I should have told you I was coming," William said, cleaning up Eleanor's spit with a cloth before Lizzie took her from his arms. "But we both needed some fresh air. She was fighting with me on the bottle all morning and it's been frustrating."

"Oh? Why are you giving Daddy hard time?" Lizzie asked her playfully. "Were you missing Mommy? Did you just want me for food, baby girl?"

"I'm sure she missed you. Plus, it's Valentine's Day and I wanted to do something. It's her first and thought she'd like to be with you. I know your feelings on the day but there's no harm in lunch," William said.

"Thank you, Will. I appreciate it," Lizzie said, settling on the couch to nurse Eleanor. "And I love the outfit. Looks like something Gigi gave us."

"It is. Thank goodness my sister overdoes it on holiday onesies," William said, taking containers out of the bag and spreading them out on her desk. "It's her third outfit of the day. I'm hoping this one stays on longer than the first two."

"I know what happened to the first but the second?"

"She spit up all over it," William said, miming it with his hand. "This is a great romantic topic, by the way."

Lizzie laughed. "My husband and my daughter surprised me with lunch on Valentine's Day. Bodily fluids aside, I'm a happy camper."

"I'm glad," William said before clapping his hands together and rubbing them. "Alright. I went to House of Thaiand got a little bit of everything."

" _That's_ why it smells so good!" Lizzie moaned before glancing down at her daughter. "From how quickly she's eating, I think I'll only be a few more minutes. She really fought you all morning?"

"She did but seeing her eat makes me feel better. I'm sure it's nothing," William said before he offered to fix her a plate of food.

"Will?"

"Yes, love?"

"Thank you," Lizzie said sincerely. "I mean for everything." She watched his face soften. "I'm so grateful for what you're doing with Eleanor and the fact that you're staying home with her. I know it can't be easy when you have so much piling up at work."

"Lizzie, I'd do anything for the two of you," William started, sitting down next to her and squeezing her thigh. "I can deal with the blowouts and crying any day because that's what I signed up for. Sure, she's not a piece of cake every single moment but what baby is? She's ours. And what about you? You are amazing with her. I'm in awe of some of the things you do with her."

"You always manage to turn this around!" Lizzie said softly, keeping her few tears at bay. Eleanor choose that moment to unlatch and Lizzie nudged his shoulder to get her a cloth. She adjusted her clothing and then started patting the baby on her back so she could be burped. William returned to the food so he could make a plate for both of them.

"How do you manage to do that every time?"

"You want to know why?" William asked and Lizzie nodded. A warm smile spread across his face. "It's because I love you."

After visiting with Lizzie, William and Eleanor had a good rest of the afternoon. He got his fair share of sweet smiles and baby giggles and she even took a long enough nap that he was able to get a good amount of work done. It was the refreshing break he and Eleanor needed and he had Lizzie to thank for it.

When Lizzie got home from work, she helped out in the kitchen and with dinner. She was being especially flirtatious with him, which he reciprocated in kind. They gave Eleanor a bath and then Lizzie took care of getting her to bed. He knew she wanted some time alone with her and he obliged, using the time on his own to get a little more work done.

He didn't hear Lizzie approaching until over an hour later. What surprised him the most was that Lizzie had somehow found the time to change. She was wearing a short black silk robe but it was the big, mischievous grin on her face that got him excited about what was underneath. She set his computer down on the table to make room for herself and straddled his lap. She whispered something hot and dirty in his ear while she deftly unbuttoned his shirt, riling him up and making him antsier. Then she pulled back and untied her robe, revealing a little gray and blue number that showed off everything he loved about her body.

They didn't make it off the couch for quite some time.

* * *

 _Friday, February 15th_

The night before had put William in such a great mood that he went to work with barely a struggle. Lizzie may have been helping by sending him texts and pictures of their daughter, most of them featuring her gummy grin that melted his heart every time. It seemed that yesterday had been the boost that the three of them needed to get back on track.

On top of that, William had a lunch date with his sister today. Though Gigi made every effort to visit and frequently called and texted for updates on her niece, he wasn't seeing her often enough now that he was only in the office once a week. He was looking forward to spending some time with her.

First, though, he was meeting with Pemberley Digital's newest employee. After the amount of time and effort that went into hiring him, William wanted to meet Naveen Bhatt. They had given him a month to train his replacement in the London office and move to San Francisco and he had arrived a few days ago and had started in the office yesterday.

"Mr. Darcy," Mrs. Reynolds pinged over the intercom. "Mr. Bhatt is here to see you."

"Thank you, Mrs. Reynolds," William said, marking his spot in the contract he was reading and putting it to the side. "Please send him in."

There was a moment of silence before the door swung open, Naveen Bhatt still holding the doorknob. He stuck his head back out and politely asked Mrs. Reynolds to simply call him Naveen in the future. William could already predict her response, which was to wave him off, because she did it to all the new employees. It took Fitz two years to convince her to actually call him Fitz.

"You'll need patience with her. At least six months," William said, catching Naveen's attention. He walked in and closed the door behind him. The man was tall, on the leaner side, and dressed sharply in a three-piece navy blue suit. He had the beginnings of a beard, a groomed mustache, and his hair was grown out and full but not unprofessionally so.

"I'll wear her down," Naveen said in his unmistakable British accent, holding out his hand. "Naveen Bhatt."

"William Darcy." William shook his hand. "Pleasure to meet you."

"Pleasure's all mine, no doubt," Naveen said.

"Have a seat," William said, gesturing to the empty chair. He walked around to his desk and sat down as Naveen did. "I make an effort to try to meet with all my new employees but it's been a bit difficult lately with me out of the office so much. The timing worked out well. How are you settling in?"

"Quite well already. Secured a flat just last night and everyone is very welcoming," Naveen said. "Beautiful grounds here and I love my office. Those napping pods are tempting, especially when one is adjusting to a new time zone."

"Is this your first time in San Francisco?"

"It is. I heard plenty about the city from Georgiana when she was in the London office," Naveen said, running a hand through his hair. "She built it up so much and it hasn't disappointed. There's so much to discover. I could have chosen Chicago but how could I pass up being close to the ocean? A river is not tempting enough."

"There is no substitute," William agreed.

"And if I'm being frank, it was the family aspect of Pemberley Digital that drew me to accept the position," Naveen said. "Your sister was always sharing stories about the history of the company, your parents, and you actually. Knowing that the CEO actually cares for and is truly invested in their company is refreshing."

He saw William smile shyly. "It's really quite wonderful to have a sister who is supportive of all that you do."

"Do you have a sister?"

"I have two. One older and one younger. Well, three now technically. My brother married last year and I could swear my mum loves her more than him," Naveen said with a laugh. "My youngest sister still lives with my parents but my brother is in Paris, and my oldest sister is in Tokyo."

"That must be difficult to have you all spread around the world," William said.

"It can be and my moving here doesn't make it easier," Naveen admitted. "But we're all close. We keep in touch in many ways. In fact, we began using Domino last year."

"Really? It's great to hear when our employees are using our products," William said. "What I'm hoping is that you'll feel comfortable enough and happy enough here to stay for a long time."

"Considering everything that you offer, I don't see myself leaving anytime soon," Naveen said. "I already feel rather inspired by my own department already."

"I'm open to hearing about it."

For the next thirty minutes, Naveen talked at length about what he was hoping to do. The department had had a string of managers who contributed the bare minimum and it left the employees less than motivated. He intended to change that immediately. He was full of passion and William was more impressed with every passing minute.

William hated to cut him off but he knew Gigi would be meeting him at the office for lunch any moment. Naveen promised to meet with him next Friday to discuss his progress so far.

"I'm looking forward to seeing what you can do, Naveen," William said, walking him to the door. "You'll fit right in here."

"Thank you for taking the time to meet with me, Mr. Darcy," Naveen said, shaking his hand.

"Let me know if you ever have any questions," William said, smiling politely.

"Actually, I do have one but it's not about Pemberley. Pardon me if I overstep but considering your choice of attire," Naveen said, gesturing to William's fitted black suit, "do you have a preferred tailor? I frequented Savile Row at home but that luxury is no more."

"I do," William replied. "I'll email you. There are a few San Francisco tailors that live up to Savile Row standards."

"That's a relief. I was afraid I'd run into trouble!"

"As a fellow suit lover, I would never let another suffer," William joked. He opened the door and Gigi was on the other side, her arm raised to knock.

"Uh…" Gigi stumbled, clearly surprised. "Hi…"

"Gigi, hello. I was just meeting with Naveen to talk about his position and his department," William informed her. "Let me grab my stuff and we can get lunch."

"And I should be going," Naveen spoke up, flashing her a smile as he ran a hand through his hair. "Georgiana, always a pleasure."

Naveen walked out of William's office, letting the door close behind him, and Gigi was left waiting outside while he grabbed his jacket and his phone from the desk. It dinged with a message from Lizzie saying that his girls missed him and to say hi to Gigi. Attached was a picture of her with Eleanor resting on her chest, who had a happy but quizzical look. It brought a smile to his face. He got caught up texting Lizzie back and forth for a couple minutes before realizing Gigi was still waiting outside his office.

He pocketed his phone and double-checked that he had his wallet before heading for the door. Gigi was standing out in front of Mrs. Reynolds desk, with her back facing him.

"Sorry about that. You ready to go?" William asked and she quickly spun around. She seemed caught off guard and it took her a moment to pull herself together.

"Huh? Right! Lunch! I'm starving!" Gigi said, a bit overly eager.

William turned to Mrs. Reynolds and he could swear the tiniest smirk was playing on her lips but it disappeared in an instant. "Mrs. Reynolds, we're heading out now. We'll be back."

Mrs. Reynolds directed an all-knowing expression towards Gigi before she replied to him with a sing-song voice, "Enjoy your lunch!"

Gigi lingered for a second before she joined William at his side. "So, do you have any new pictures of my niece?"

William perked up and grinned, taking his phone from his pocket to show her.

"As a matter of fact, I do."

* * *

 _Saturday, February 23rd_

It was Gigi's turn to host the monthly dinner and she had it easy this time. Lydia and Adam were both working while Sam was tagging along with Charlotte at a conference in Vancouver, where they would extend their stay for a mini vacation. Fitz and Brandon were in charge of sides while Lizzie and William were supposed to bring dessert.

Eleanor benefitted from the smaller group, garnering the most attention during the night. Luckily, she had been in a happy and playful mood from the time she woke up. These kind of days were Lizzie's favorite. It filled her with so much joy to see her daughter enjoying every moment and it made her even more excited for the future.

Lizzie and Brandon offered to clean up after they all finished dessert, leaving everybody else in the living room so they could keep enjoying their time with Eleanor. They cleared the table and Lizzie got started on the dishes, washing them while Brandon dried. Gigi's open kitchen gave them both a full view of the group in the living room.

"Lizzie, she's getting cuter and cuter every time I see her," Brandon said, taking a dish from her as they watched other three play with her.

"It's hard to believe she's almost four months," Lizzie said wistfully.

"No! You're joking. She can't be that old already!"

"I'm not. I just packed away the last of her newborn onesies. She's getting more wear out of the zero to three month ones now."

"She really is taking after you more than her dad," Brandon said with a smile, putting away the casserole dish.

"I wish she could stay small forever." Lizzie paused in her washing when there was a burst of laughter from the living room. Fitz was holding Eleanor, making faces at her, and she heard the distinct giggle of her daughter.

"Not possible, Lizzie," Brandon said, sidling up beside her and offering her a gentle smile. "I'm sure all parents say the same thing but think of the things you'd miss out on if she didn't grow up."

"Too much," Lizzie said with a shake of her head. "I already feel like I'm missing out on a lot when I go to work. Don't get me wrong. I love my company. It's just hard to leave her in the morning. I don't know where I'd be without William."

"If it's any help, you two make it look effortless," Brandon said. "I know it's not but you two have settled into parenthood the same way you settled into dating and marriage. You're kind of inspiring."

"Oh, stop," Lizzie clicked her tongue and laughed softly, returning to the dirty dishes in the sink.

"You are. There's a reason that little girl is so happy. You and William are doing something right," Brandon told her. "She lucked out on great parents."

"Thank you," Lizzie said softly. He put an arm around her and squeezed her arm.

"Thank you for bringing even more joy into the world," Brandon said, glancing towards Fitz. He was bouncing Eleanor gently and laughing with his whole body, throwing his head back. "And more joy to my husband. He'd take her home with him if he could."

"No way. I love her too much. Babysit all you'd like but she stays with us. Get your own," Lizzie joked. Brandon smiled softly and she saw a spark of something in his eyes. As she starting to hand him a glass, it slipped out of her grip, smashing into pieces on the ground. "Shit!"

"Watch your language in front of the impressionable one!" Fitz joked, making a show of covering Eleanor's ears.

"What happened? Do you need any help?" William asked, standing up and looking at Lizzie with concern.

"We're fine. I dropped a glass and it broke. Gigi, I'm so sorry," Lizzie grimaced. Gigi immediately got up and hurried over to the closet across from the kitchen. Lizzie started picking up the larger pieces and tossing them in the trash.

"Don't worry about it!" Gigi said, pulling out a dust pan and broom. "We'll clean this up in no time. Brandon, we've got this. I know you want to play with Eleanor."

"You sure?"

"Yes! We can gossip in here while we clean up," Gigi said with a mischievous look. Brandon playfully rolled his eyes at her but retreated from the kitchen anyway, leaving Lizzie and Gigi to clean up. It took them a couple minutes to clean everything up, sweeping twice to make sure there were no more pieces of glass in the area. Once they finished, Gigi put the broom and dust pan back in the closet and she came over to help Lizzie finish the dishes. "Maybe I should wash and you dry this time."

Lizzie agreed and took the dry towel from the counter. "So, gossip, huh?"

"It's like you already know," Gigi said, narrowing her eyes at her. Lizzie gave her a cheeky look.

"Well, all I know is that a certain British someone is officially at P.D. and he has good taste in suits," Lizzie said, making Gigi laugh.

"Is that what William said?" Gigi handed her a serving dish.

"Apparently he asked for tailor recommendations. William seems to like him. He says Naveen has a lot of potential," Lizzie said, putting the dry dish down.

"Potential is a good word for it," Gigi said lowly.

"Yea. Spit it out."

"He's going to be trouble," Gigi admitted, sneaking a glance to the guys to make sure they weren't listening. They were too preoccupied with Eleanor making spit bubbles and smiling than anything else. "I told you I thought he was attractive before but that's nothing compared to now. Besides the tailored suits, he's grown out his hair so it's all full and wavy. He's grown more facial hair and it makes him look more sophisticated. I ran into him when I was going to have lunch with William last Friday and I don't even know what happened."

"What do you mean?"

"I felt like I was hit with a ton of bricks or something. It was the first time I'd seen him since I was in London and here's this really attractive man I used to flirt with standing in front of me. It didn't faze him. He smiled this really charming smile and said he was getting back to work. William disappeared to get his jacket and before Naveen left, he said we should take some time to catch up. He told me he was glad to be here, winked at me, and walked away backwards while keeping his eyes on me the whole time. Mrs. Reynolds was there to witness the whole thing."

"Gigi, Gigi, Gigi," Lizzie said, a smug grin widening. "This is going to be so much fun."

"Lizzie, no!" Gigi all but whined.

"From everything you've told me from your time in London to now, it's only a matter of time," Lizzie said. "Think of it this way. William _already_ likes him."

" _Professionally_ ," Gigi gritted.

"That's still something. Besides, he's not as tough as he used to be. I helped but Eleanor's really softened him up. He loves you and cares for you. He wants what's best for you," Lizzie said, putting away the last glass. "He had obvious reasons to hate You Know Who. And then there was Sidney."

"William never quite warmed up to Sidney. I know he tried but I could tell," Gigi said, leaning against the counter. "I think I was excited to be out there again and dating somebody who liked me for me and was _nice_ to me. At least he helped me figure out what I wanted to do with my life."

"There's that. We all liked him but I think, deep down, that we knew he wasn't the one. Nice only gets you so far," Lizzie said, putting down her towel and coming up beside her. "Maybe I should push you and Naveen into a room and see where that gets you."

"Don't you dare," Gigi chuckled and elbowed her.

"I'm sure I could do something else Gigi-esque to get the ball rolling," Lizzie teased.

"Or not," Gigi said.

"Look, it's completely up to you. As much as I tease you, it's out of love. I want you to be happy. If you think there's something there, give him a chance. If there's not, that's no skin off your nose," Lizzie offered. "He could be all talk and no show. Maybe he can flirt with the best of them and that's it."

"Thanks," Gigi said, looking at her with appreciation. "You won't pester me if I take my time?"

"Well, don't drag it out. You don't want to lose your chance," Lizzie said. "But I won't be teaming up with Fitz for some devious planning any time soon."

Gigi smiled and squeezed her hand. "You're the best."

"I know."

A couple moments later, William appeared at the kitchen entrance with Eleanor in his arms and knocked on the wood of the doorframe.

"Are you ladies going to be joining us again any time soon? This little one is starting to miss her Mommy and Auntie," William said, making sure she was facing them.

"Awww. I can't resist that sweet face!" Gigi said, coming over and touching the tip of her nose. Eleanor cooed and Gigi pressed her lips together, saying she couldn't handle the cuteness. She squeezed William's arm as she passed him so she could return to the living room. Lizzie walked over and kissed Eleanor's forehead before standing on her toes to kiss William.

"I wouldn't want her missing me more than she has to," Lizzie said softly.

"Everything okay?" William asked, gesturing over to Gigi with nod of his head.

"Just some girl talk," Lizzie said, pressing her hand to his lower back. "Come on. Let's get this cutie back to her fan club."

William chuckled. "Gladly."

* * *

 _Thursday, February 28th_

Lizzie and William got through the last week of February with patience and teamwork. William had been able to avoid going into work on his on-call days but he knew it wouldn't last forever. Starting in two weeks, the same day Lizzie would be going on her business trip, he would start bringing Eleanor in to work on Mondays. It would help her slowly adjust to the new environment, especially since he would be bringing her full time in two months. He had a lengthy conversation with the employees working at the day care. All of them had a college degrees in early childhood education or child development, they were all certified, had thorough background checks, and knew CPR. They were very excited to meet and take care of Eleanor and assured him that she would be in very good hands.

On Thursday, William witnessed another milestone. All week during tummy time, Eleanor had been moving around more and kicking her legs. She'd make it all the way to her side before she'd fall back onto her tummy. He thankfully had his phone on him and was taking a video of her frustrated attempts when she successfully rolled over onto her back. It was thrilling to see her move like that on her own. Hoping she'd be able to do it again, he laid her back on her stomach and encouraged her to keep trying. She got stuck in the side position a couple times before getting frustrated. William picked her up and peppered her face with kisses, putting her back in her good mood. He spent the rest of the morning tiring her out until she fell asleep and then he was able to get a good amount of work done. She even managed to stay asleep when he made a conference call to the board, making sure to change into work clothes to stay professional.

When Lizzie came home from work, he excitedly told her the news that Eleanor had rolled over. She had been in closed-door meetings all day so he was unable to tell her earlier. Lizzie was upset that she missed it but proud. William offered her a comforting kiss and told her he recorded it and he'd show it to her once Eleanor was down for the night, bringing a smile to her face.

As soon as they got back from their nightly walk, Lizzie jumped in the shower and William set up Eleanor's bath in the kitchen. Lizzie changed into an old shirt of William's and some shorts before they gave their daughter a bath. Lizzie was usually the one to get splashed more than William and had started dressing accordingly. Eleanor was particularly playful and William took another video to add to the dozens of bath time videos they already had. By the time she was all cleaned and dressed in her kitten pajamas, she was starting to get fussy. Lizzie whisked her off to the nursery while Will went into the living room to transfer the videos of Eleanor from his phone into a special folder on his computer.

William went to check on her when he finished and she was almost done. He offered to take Eleanor to burp her so Lizzie could run off to the bathroom. It wasn't more than a minute later that he got a very wet reminder that he forgot the burping cloth. He sighed and pulled her away from him, catching the sparkle in her eyes. William put her down in the crib and unbuttoned his shirt. He reprimanded himself for forgetting to change out of his work shirt and decided to do some laundry. Lizzie was just coming back and thankfully refrained from laughing at his misfortune. She took over getting Eleanor down for the night while he went to grab some other dirty clothes and a pair of black sweats. He started a wash, tossing in his pants, and changed into the sweats before returning to the living room in front of his computer.

"So, she got you again, huh?" Lizzie asked, walking into the living room a while later. He hadn't even bothered to grab a shirt for himself.

"I'm starting to believe she thinks it's funny," William said, leaning back against the couch. Lizzie joined him and laid down, resting her head in his lap.

"She eats more when I nurse and that's when you forget to protect yourself," Lizzie pointed out.

"True," William said as he began to run his fingers through her hair. She sighed and closed her eyes.

"Long day," Lizzie said after a few minutes.

"But productive, it sounds like," William offered.

"I called Jane on my lunch. Did I tell you that?" Lizzie asked, looking up at him. He shook his head and she continued. "We were going over details for when I go to New York and stay with them. The whole trip makes me feel so conflicted though."

"Have two parts of you been at war?" William asked lightly.

She rolled her eyes playfully before she brought a hand up to his neck and pulled him down for a kiss. He lingered for a moment after they broke away. "Tell me what's bothering you, love."

"I miss Jane. Our Sunday calls are never enough. I'm really looking forward to seeing her and Bing and the kids again," Lizzie started. "But it's also the longest I'll be away from Eleanor so far. I'm going to miss both of you so much."

"We're going to miss you too," William said softly, running his fingers through her hair. "But we'll be okay."

"I know you will. It's still hard not to be within arms' reach of you two," Lizzie said, trying not to tear up. "And sleeping is difficult without you next to me."

"For you and me both," William sighed. "You know I'll be sending you pictures and messages throughout the day, just like I do when you're at work. We can use Domino in the morning and the evening so Eleanor gets to see you."

"I wouldn't want her to forget me," Lizzie said softly.

"Lizzie, don't be silly." William looked down and narrowed his eyes. "She lights up like a Christmas tree whenever she sees you."

"She does that with you too," Lizzie said with a smile. She turned from her side to her back and reached out for his hand, threading her fingers through his. "We'll make this work."

"We will. You're pumping and the freezer is full of breastmilk. The diaper service delivers the day before you leave so there's no worries there. She's been sleeping through the night and we've both been able to get her down. I'll be home with her for most of the week and Lydia is babysitting on Friday until you get home," William said. "Plus, I've got the village here. Fitz and Brandon are already coming over one night, Charlotte and Sam said they'd be happy to give me a break, and you know Gigi will jump at the chance."

"And you can always call my dad," Lizzie suggested.

"I just might. As you said, our weekly Sunday phone calls are not enough with your parents either, and Thomas has been rather helpful when I have questions," William said.

"Do you realize how fortunate we are?" Lizzie asked. "To have so many people in our lives who want to be there for us and for Eleanor?"

"Before you, I could count the important people in my life on one hand," William said, using his free hand to brush his knuckles across her cheek. "You're the reason, Elizabeth. I am so grateful for you and Eleanor. My life would be so much duller without you."

"I don't know where I'd be if you weren't in my life," Lizzie said. "We're both lucky."

"That we are," William said softly, bending down to kiss her. She brought a hand up and tangled her fingers through his hair, holding him close. He hummed into her mouth and nipped at her lips before gently pulling at her bottom lip with his teeth. He caught her impish look before he kissed her again, this time a little slower and more sensually. When he pulled back, William flashed her a dimpled grin and a tinge of pink appeared on her cheeks. He would never get tired of that reaction.

"So, Mrs. Darcy," he began, tracing a finger across her jaw. "Would you like to see the video of our daughter rolling over?"

Lizzie lit up and nodded eagerly before turning to her side to face the computer screen.

"Yes please, Mr. Darcy."

* * *

 _Notes: Big things coming up! Stay tuned! What are you looking forward to the most?_

 _Be sure to head on over to the official tumblr to see who's playing our newest character, Naveen Bhatt! I'll be posting him and maybe one or two other extras!_

 _Thanks always to Sarah for her amazing editing skills!_


	24. Separation Anxiety

_Summary: Lizzie goes on a business trip and William is left to take care of Eleanor alone. Fitz and Brandon share some big news with William._

* * *

 _Notes: Thank you all for your kind comments. It's always lovely to hear that you're enjoying this story._

* * *

 _Sunday, March 10th_

The first days of March leading up to Lizzie's business trip went by too quickly for her liking. Work was busy as she and Andrea prepared for their Scholastic meeting. Their first project with them, _Confessions of_ _the Sullivan Sisters,_ had finally wrapped and their audience had been more than receptive, many already asking what the next project would be.

The Sunday before her trip was spent with William and Eleanor while also double-checking her suitcase and everything for the meeting. The morning was full of tummy time and playing with their daughter, watching her roll over twice more and getting big smiles and giggles from her. William suggested they go out to lunch and then they went on a nice, long walk afterwards. Despite the long day, Lizzie swore her daughter could sense she was leaving because she didn't nap for most of it. She struggled to keep her eyes open during bath time and fell asleep in the middle of being nursed. Lizzie spent some extra time in the glider during her usual nightly routine with her, holding her sleeping baby and finding it difficult to put her down.

She finally did and found William already in bed and propped up against the headboard, his legs under the covers. His glasses had a blue tint as he read from his laptop, likely the contract he had been reading and re-reading all weekend so he'd be ready for a meeting tomorrow. She hurried to get ready for bed so she could join him. All she wanted to do was be held by him and fall asleep next to him, knowing it would be five long nights before she'd be able to do it again. She knew he could sense how she felt because he had put all distractions away by the time she was out of the bathroom and patted the spot beside him. When she joined him, he put his arms around her and she let out a deep sigh when he kissed her forehead.

"I hate that you're feeling this upset," William murmured, brushing the tips of his fingers up and down her arm. "I wish there was something I could do."

"This is definitely helping," Lizzie said.

One corner of his mouth twitched up and he pulled her in a little closer.

"It's only five days. We've been apart for longer," William offered gently. "Weeks even."

"But that was before Eleanor."

"All our business trips are difficult, love. Even before Eleanor," William said softly. "But we still manage to get through them all. Yes, Eleanor makes it a little more unbearable but it's not as if I'm going to stop sending you daily pictures and updates every day. Modern technology is a thing of wonder. Just like I told you the first day you went back to work, we'll get through this," William assured. "Eleanor and I will miss you but Friday will be the most satisfying day of the week. You'll be coming home to both of us. But first…"

"I have to kick ass with Scholastic," Lizzie finished.

"You've already done that. This is all about statistics and what will work best for the next project. I'm rather intrigued about what it may be," William said.

"You'll have to wait like everybody else," Lizzie teased. "How do I know you won't leak it before we announce it?"

"Ah yes. I'm such a saboteur."

Lizzie snickered.

"I'll tell Eleanor. She's pretty good about keeping secrets."

"She is," William confirmed. "She's keeping a few of my secrets."

"What secrets might those be?"

"You know that's not how it works," William laughed.

"Oh, come on." Lizzie moved even closer to William. She began to trace light patterns across his chest. "You could tell me the subject matter of the secrets but not the secrets themselves."

"The subject matter of my secrets involve you and upcoming celebratory occasions."

"I should have known it would be birthday and anniversary related," Lizzie said. "Now I'm wondering what else Eleanor knows."

"She knows everything," William replied. "I talk to her all the time."

"What about?"

"Oh, anything that's on my mind. Sometimes it's as mundane as me thinking out loud as I read a contract or telling her what I'm making for lunch or dinner," William started. "Other times, I'm telling her stories about you and me. Lately, I've been recalling memories of my parents to her."

"You have?" Lizzie asked, her voice soft. He offered her a gentle smile and pulled her with him as he laid on his back. She rested her head on his shoulder and he continued brushing his fingers across her skin.

"There's not very many people where I can talk about my parents and not get a look of pity in return. As soon as somebody learns the story, they treat me differently," William started. "I mean, it's been nearly fourteen years and I still miss them every day but it would be nice to talk about them without getting _that_ look."

"Did I ever…" Lizzie trailed off, trying to think back.

"You're one of the few who hasn't, love. I know we've been through times that were difficult for you but you stood by in support and encouraged me to open up. You made me realize that talking about my parents was a good thing. I appreciate that more than you'll ever know," William said, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "And Eleanor? She makes it even easier. The stories I tell her are all good memories. I know I'll repeat them in coming years because I want her to have memories of them, even if they're secondhand. What makes it wonderful is that when I'm talking about them to her, she looks at me so innocently. I get smiles and laughter in return. There's no sadness or sympathy in her eyes."

"Babies make great therapists," Lizzie said with a warm look.

"Eleanor does," William chuckled and squeezed her arm. "It's going to be fine, Lizzie. We'll get through this business trip, just like we've gotten through all the other ones."

"You better bombard me with pictures to get me through," Lizzie said, lightly poking his chest.

"There will be no shortage of updates," William promised. "And we'll Domino at least once a day so Eleanor can see you. I expect to get pictures from you, as well."

"Oh, you will," Lizzie said. "A couple of them might be for your eyes only, though."

William raised an eyebrow in intrigue.

"Eleanor is not the only one I'm going to miss," Lizzie insisted, pulling herself up and kissing him softly. When she pulled away, William brought a hand up to her cheek and stroked it with his thumb.

"I will never not miss you when you're away," William said huskily. He gently rolled her onto her back and he moved above her, looking down at her with eyes full of love and passion. Lizzie pulled at her bottom lip and squirmed beneath him, knowing what he was building up towards. He played with the spaghetti straps of her top and bent down to kiss her exposed shoulders.

"We're not going to get a lot of sleep, are we?"

"Oh, we'll get some sleep," William promised, started a trail of kisses down past her neck all the way to the scoop of her top.

"Because you're going to tire me out?" Lizzie asked playfully, arching her back.

"I'm going to be thorough, Mrs. Darcy," William said. He toyed with the band of her silk shorts before he tucked his fingers in and began to pull them down, along with her underwear. "We need a memory that will last us all week."

Lizzie reached down and tugged on his arm, pulling him up so he could face her. He closed the distance and kissed her, a little bit more passionate than she expected but just enough that she loved it. She whimpered when he pulled away and a spark of lust flashed in his eyes.

"Let's get to work on this week-lasting memory."

* * *

 _Monday, March 11th_

It took many hugs, kisses, and promises of phone calls to get Lizzie out the door so she could make her New York flight. Once she was out the door, it was his turn to get ready for the day. It was his first time bringing Eleanor to work and anxiety was building up over everything. He had a feeling that it wouldn't be as difficult to get through the day if Lizzie wasn't nearly three thousand miles away.

He changed Eleanor and got her dressed before he dressed himself. Once he got her in her car seat, he triple-checked the diaper bag and his own bag to make sure that he had everything. He took one last look around the apartment and then back to his daughter, letting out a breath.

"Okay, Eleanor. Are you ready to go? Are you ready to come to work with Daddy?" he asked in a voice reserved for her. She responded with her heart-melting smile and he bent down to kiss both her cheeks. He grabbed his bags and Eleanor and headed out the door. He got her into the car and set up the rear-facing baby mirror to play music, which he had recently discovered she loved. The drive to work was short and he was surprised how little traffic there was for a Monday. He pulled into his space and sat there for a minute, watching his daughter in the mirror. All he needed was a little more time before he went inside, and luckily for him, his phone rang at that moment.

"Hello, Lizzie," he answered, smiling. "Did you get to the airport okay?"

"Hi. I did," Lizzie replied. She sounded upset and his smile dropped.

"What's wrong? Is Andrea there with you?" William said.

"She went to get some coffee and something for breakfast," Lizzie said. "Can you just tell me that everything is going to be okay? I'm feeling so terrible for leaving Eleanor for this long. I'm going to miss you two so much."

"We're going to miss you as well. You're going to be great and we'll try to survive without you," William said, checking his daughter in the rear-view mirror. "I'm sitting in the parking lot at work and I'm having a difficult time getting out of the car. Eleanor just fell asleep and she looks so peaceful."

"I expect a picture as soon as we hang up," Lizzie insisted and he chuckled, promising as much. "How can I expect to get on a plane when you can't even get out of the car?"

"Hey now. I'm just taking my sweet time getting to the office. You're going to get on that plane like you've done so many times before. You're going to call me as soon as you land and then you're going to do what you do best. Scholastic is going to love what you've brought to their company and they're going to give you another great book to adapt. You've got this. You have nothing to worry about."

"This is why I call you—because you always know what to say."

William could hear the warmth coming back into her voice.

"I try, love," William said. "Now, get me out of the car, please."

Her sweet laugh came through the receiver. It was like music to his ears and he wondered if Eleanor would have the same laugh when she was older. He sincerely hoped so.

"Do you have your seatbelt unbuckled?"

"I don't."

"Unbuckle it," she instructed.

"Yes, ma'am," he said while doing just that. Then she went through exactly what he was going to do as soon as he got off the phone. He sat in the car, listening to her, and watching his sleeping daughter in the rear-view mirror. His smile grew bigger as she continued, politely but firmly giving him instructions. She was using her business voice and probably didn't even notice. She was born to run a business and his pride and love for her grew more every day.

"And don't forget to send me a picture before you take her out," Lizzie reminded him.

"I promise I won't. It will be the first thing I do when we say goodbye."

"Which is something I think I'm going to have to do now. We're going to be boarding soon," Lizzie said.

"Alright. Say hello to Jane and Bing for me and give the twins big hugs," William said.

"Give Eleanor twice as many to make up for me not being there."

"Happily." William said. "I believe in you, Elizabeth Darcy."

"I believe you in you too, William Darcy," Lizzie replied affectionately.

They told each other they loved one another and finally said their goodbyes. He knew there was no more time to waste so he carefully got out of the car and opened Eleanor's door without waking her. After taking his promised picture and sending it to Lizzie, he unlocked her car seat from the base, grabbed his things, and headed for the entrance of his building.

He spent too long dropping Eleanor off at the daycare, not wanting to leave her. The employees assured him that she was in great hands, they had his cell phone number, and they would call his office if he was needed. He kissed his daughter's forehead and finally left. He hadn't been in the office for more than five minutes before Fitz knocked on his door and walked in.

"Good morning, Darce," Fitz said. "Big day today, huh? Eleanor's first time in daycare, Lizzie's first business trip, and a big contract for us."

"We still have the meeting to confirm," William said.

"It's practically a done deal," Fitz said, waving it off and sitting in a chair across from him. "How are you holdin' up?"

"It's taking a lot of effort to not go back down to daycare and get Eleanor," William confessed.

"She'll be fine," Fitz assured. "She loves people and she'll love those ladies. You've heard the stories from other employees. They swear by them. How about you and me go down to visit her at lunch? I need a dose of my niece."

William perked up. "That would be nice. I could give Lizzie an update."

"It's settled. We'll go see her for lunch," Fitz said, clapping his hands before rubbing them together. "Are we still on for dinner Wednesday night? Brandon wanted to make a roast."

"Of course. We'd love the company," William said. "But I can cook, you know."

"Yea but do you really want to pass up Brandon's cooking? I sure wouldn't," Fitz said, making William chuckle.

"A roast sounds good," William agreed before getting down to business. "We need to go over a few things before the meeting."

"Right," Fitz said, sitting forward in his seat. "I have some ideas."

Mondays never went by quickly for William but today felt particularly glacial. All throughout the meeting, he was anxious to hear from Lizzie and to see Eleanor. It took a lot of effort to put his personal thoughts on the backburner and focus on the client. He still managed and was able to secure the contract, even though the meeting ran longer than planned to do so. By the time the client left, the entire morning was gone.

Fitz accompanied William while he checked in with Mrs. Reynolds for messages and then they went to lunch, heading straight to the daycare to see Eleanor first. Dawn, one of the daycare providers, was sitting on the floor and dangling a toy above his daughter, who was cooing and flailing her arms and legs. Seeing the personal attention she was getting made him feel better about bringing her to the daycare.

"Mr. Darcy!" Dawn said as soon as she saw him. She put down the toy and picked up Eleanor carefully, getting up and bringing her over to him. "Here for a quick visit?"

"I am. I couldn't go the whole day without seeing her," William admitted, taking Eleanor from her arms and giving his daughter a kiss on her forehead. She immediately lit up at the sight of him and his heart expanded with happiness. Fitz cleared his throat and William introduced him. "This is Mr. Williams."

"Fitz. I'm his right-hand man," he grinned, shaking her hand. "And Eleanor's uncle."

"It's nice to meet you," Dawn said.

"I hope Eleanor hasn't been any trouble," William said. He gently bounced her in his arms and she rested her head against his shoulder.

"Not at all. She's been an absolute delight so far," Dawn said. "We've been trying to stick with your schedule and it's working so far. She took a bottle a little bit ago and we've been playing ever since. She's only fussed with her dirty diapers and when she was hungry. She's quite a happy baby otherwise."

"She is, isn't she?" William agreed, flashing a smile to his daughter. She made a little noise and snuggled into his neck a little closer.

"It looks like you've tired her out," Fitz said, watching as Eleanor's eyes get droopier against William's shoulder.

"It's a lot of new stimulation for any child," Dawn said. "I know we'll only be seeing her once a week for now but I think she'll adjust pretty well once you begin bringing her every day. It helps that her father is so close."

"I'm really glad to hear that," William said, rubbing Eleanor's back. She was moments from falling asleep. "I should put her down. If she falls asleep on me, I'll be stuck here for a while. She hates to be moved once she's asleep."

Dawn brought him over to one of the empty cribs. He put her down and she fussed a little at the loss of contact but was too sleepy to put up a proper fight. He brushed her hair back with his hand and she went right to sleep. Then he snapped a quick picture to send to Lizzie before pocketing his phone.

Having that extra time with Eleanor helped William get through the work day. Hearing from Lizzie once she landed helped even more. It was a busy day, partially because he wouldn't be coming into the office again until Friday. The afternoon was filled with conference calls, meetings with board members, and strategy sessions. He was always aware of the time and made sure to be out of his office and at the daycare to pick up his daughter by five o'clock on the dot.

Once he got home, he set up Eleanor in the kitchen with him while he made dinner for himself. She watched him intently and he told her everything he was doing, occasionally getting his favorite smile of hers and even a laugh. She kept him company while he ate and occupied herself by playing with her hands. It was more entertaining than watching television and he gladly kept his eye on her.

He fed her and then set up her bath. It felt strange to be doing it all; he half expected Lizzie to come walking through the door. Eleanor didn't seem to notice and wasn't giving him trouble, which he was thankful for. Lizzie called on Domino just as he had put Eleanor in the bath and she was able to join in on the ritual in some way. Just the sound of her voice made their daughter excited and she splashed up a storm, getting William's shirt all wet. Lizzie stayed on the phone with them through all of bath time and during story time. He knew it was late for Lizzie but she insisted on helping get their daughter down for the night.

"We make a good team," William said to Lizzie afterwards. He had retreated to the bedroom and removed his soaked shirt, not bothering to get another just yet. "Even when we're thousands of miles away from each other."

"I'm glad I could be there in some way—and seeing her get you all wet was enough for me," Lizzie said, flashing him a smile on the screen.

"You love it when she splashes me."

"She thinks it's funny and it gets your shirt off," Lizzie said cheekily.

"You're making me miss you even more," William exhaled, laying a hand on his chest.

"I think we need a distraction from the fact that we're not going to be in the same bed tonight," Lizzie said wearily.

"We do," William agreed. "How are the twins? You said they were pretty chatty when you got there?"

"Will, you have no idea. They told me every single moment of their day today from the minute they woke up until I walked through their door," Lizzie said.

"I can't help but think of Eleanor doing the same thing," William said tenderly.

The two of them talked for a little longer but he knew how late it was getting for Lizzie. With promises to call each other in the morning, he let her go. He spent a few more minutes lying there before he checked the baby monitor. Happy to see that Eleanor was still fast asleep, he got up to take a quick shower. As much as he hated to go to bed without Lizzie by his side, the thought of his daughter in the next room gave him enough comfort to fall asleep.

William knew the week wasn't going to be easy with Lizzie out of town. He figured it out quickly when Eleanor woke up on Tuesday morning a little after four am and had no intentions of going back to sleep. Luckily, he was working from home for the day. His feet were dragging after lunch but he was grateful for the two hours he and Eleanor took a nap together. Lizzie checked in with him briefly a few times throughout the day between her meetings.

What was more difficult was getting Eleanor down for the night, which was usually Lizzie's domain. Every time the baby was close to sleep, William would put her down but she'd wake right back up and smile that big gummy grin up at him. It was hard to resist and he'd pick her back up, playing with her for a little bit before trying again. It took him over an hour and a half but he finally got her down for the night. He marveled at Lizzie's ability to this quickly every night and missed her even more.

* * *

 _Wednesday, March 13th_

 _2:19 am_

Eleanor's cries pierced the air and William woke up, startled and disoriented. It took a full thirty seconds for him to register the noise as Eleanor. He immediately sat up in bed and checked the time before getting out of bed and hurrying towards the nursery.

"I'm coming, Eleanor. Daddy's here," William said, picking her up out of the crib. He checked her diaper to see that it was mostly dry, changing it for good measure. He figured that she might be hungry because she didn't eat as much before he put her down. She was also used to be nursed before she went to sleep so he wouldn't be surprised if she was. He paced the kitchen back and forth and rubbed Eleanor's back as he waited for the bottle to warm up.

Once the bottle was ready, he settled on the couch and spent a little time trying to feed her. She only took a little bit but she wasn't interested. None of his tricks worked and he gave into the fact that she wasn't hungry at all. She continued her distressed cries while he gently bounced her in his arms, humming a tune that normally soothed her, and walking up and down the hall. A good amount of time passed and she wasn't calming down. He was starting to worry. Most of her midnight wake-up calls had a solution, but this one didn't.

"Sweetheart, I don't know what to do," William said after over an hour of crying. "You're dry, you're not hungry, and you don't have a fever. Help Daddy out here."

He tried singing to her, playing with her, and everything else that normally worked. He even went to his phone, looking up possible reasons and solutions to help her. Seeing her tears rolling was almost painful for him. William sighed and adjusted her in his arms as she kept crying.

"I wish you could tell me why you're crying, Elle. Tell me what's wrong," William said. "I wish Lizzie was here. Mommy would know what to do. She'd get those tears to stop."

Then he wondered if the reason for her crying was because her nightly routine always involved Lizzie and this was the first night she wasn't there in any way. He pulled up his favorite picture of Lizzie on his phone and he angled the screen towards Eleanor and watched for her reaction. There was a split-second of recognition in her eyes and a sniffle but it didn't quite work.

"Do you miss Mommy, Eleanor? Is that what this is?" William asked. "I miss her too, sweetheart. I miss her a lot."

William had one more idea and reached for the remote, turning on the television. It took him a minute to look for what he wanted but once he did, he turned up the volume and pressed play.

" _It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune…"_

It took until just after the infamous jingle of Lizzie's video diaries for Eleanor to recognize the sound of her mother's voice. The change was noticeable and hope began to bloom within William.

"You see Mommy? That's Mommy on the screen," William murmured, pointing towards her on the screen. "This is how everything started. This is how Mommy and Daddy met and fell in love."

Eleanor began to slowly calm down. She went from inconsolable to fussy within five episodes. She was enamored with the version of Lizzie on screen and she even smiled as the ninth episode started. William was exhausted but relieved. He couldn't believe she was so upset for nearly two hours just because Lizzie wasn't there. Carefully, he laid down on the couch and placed Eleanor on his chest, making sure she faced the television. Every so often, her breath would catch and he'd feel the hitch beneath his hand. It took another half hour of watching Lizzie's videos before she fell back to sleep.

Shutting it off just before the first mention of one particular person, he was very careful to get up without waking her. He was able to put her down successfully and he watched her sleep for another minute. Instead of going back to the bedroom, he settled in Lizzie's glider. He felt dead on his feet and on edge but he was too focused on Eleanor to think about himself. He wanted to make sure she get the rest she needed after everything she had just been through.

William jerked awake from the feeling of his phone vibrating in his pajama pants pocket. He rubbed his eyes of sleep and stretched out his neck, feeling sore from sleeping sitting up. Quickly, he dug for his phone and answered it without checking who it was.

"Hello?" he answered gruffly.

"Took you long enough to answer the phone," Lizzie's teasing voice came through the receiver.

"Lizzie," William murmured, groaning as he got up from the chair. He checked on Eleanor in the crib and she was stirring a bit, but still asleep. "Sorry. You actually woke me."

"Woke you? It's nine am there!" Lizzie said in surprise. "I don't remember the last time either of us slept that late. Everything okay?"

"Nine am?" William repeated, checking his screen to confirm. "Everything's fine now. Eleanor and I didn't have the greatest of nights."

"Oh, no," Lizzie's voice softened. "Is she okay?"

"Yeah," William said, looking down at her in the crib. "She just misses you. Just like I miss you. But she's unable to express that emotion any other way than crying right now."

"I miss you both too," Lizzie said. "What happened?"

"Her sleep schedule is all thrown off. She woke up so early yesterday and only took one nap during the day. It took a long time to put her down last night. She kept luring me back with that smile of hers," William explained.

Lizzie laughed gently. "I know that smile you speak of. I've learned to resist it. That's the secret."

"This is why you're so much better at getting her down for the night," William sighed.

"You'll get better," Lizzie assured him.

He explained when Eleanor woke up and everything that he thought was wrong and nothing was working. "I finally figured out that you were the reason she was so upset."

"What did you do?"

"I introduced her to some classic footage of her mother," William said.

"You showed her my diaries?!" Lizzie asked in surprise.

"It helped so much, Lizzie. She eventually stopped crying and she just kept watching you until she fell asleep. The sound of your voice and seeing you helped her," William said. Eleanor stirred awake at that moment and he watched as she stretched her tiny body. She blinked a few times before looking up and lighting up as she recognized him, smiling at him. He reached down and stroked her cheek. "Good morning, my sweet girl."

"She just woke up?"

"She did. All bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, as if she didn't keep her Daddy up and worried sick until five am," William said.

"I'm sorry you had such a rough night. I'll be home in two more days and we can be a family of three again," Lizzie said.

"Sounds amazing. That and getting you back in my arms."

"I'm looking forward to getting you _both_ back in my arms," Lizzie amended. "What are you doing today besides trying to work and catching up on sleep?"

"Fitz and Brandon are bringing over dinner," William said. "And now I'm very grateful that Brandon insisted on making everything."

"Very lucky," Lizzie said. "I'm actually finished with meetings for the day. I knew today would be my short day so Jane is working a half-day and she's taking me out for some sister time. Bing's at work and the twins are at daycare. Andrea decided to meet up with her cousin."

"How are the meetings going?"

"Fantastic. We were given a few books to choose from. We're making a game plan for each one to see which project they would like more," Lizzie told him. "If I get the one I want, it's going to be a _lot_ of fun to do. I'm excited."

"I knew things would go well for you," William said before telling her to hold on. Eleanor was starting to squirm and he knew she'd fuss soon enough if he didn't change her diaper. He put Lizzie on speaker and put the phone down before getting Eleanor and placing her on the changing table. Lizzie kept talking while he cleaned her up. Eleanor was cooing at the sound of her voice and kicking her legs, making it a little more difficult to get her new diaper on. The sound of Lizzie's amused laugh filled the room when he explained what was happening.

"Oh, Jane just got home from work."

"That's probably a sign we should say goodbye. I need to feed Eleanor and actually do something productive with this day," William said.

"Okay. I'll call you later?"

"You better. Eleanor will anxiously be waiting to hear from you."

"Just her?"

"And me. I always miss the sound of your voice the moment you hang up," William said wistfully. He heard her sigh and he smiled, clearly picturing her expression that accompanied it. He hung up and returned his attention to his daughter, bending down to kiss her cheeks and getting a smile in return.

Lizzie sat in the Lees' guest room for another minute, trying to compose herself. It was getting harder and harder to end her phone calls with William because she missed him so much. Hearing about how he had a bad night with Eleanor made her want to immediately get on a plane home to see her baby.

"Lizzie? I'm home! You in here?" Jane asked, knocking and opening the door a little. Lizzie turned and smiled at her but it wasn't a genuine smile. Jane came in to sit next to her on the bed.

"Does it ever get easier?" Lizzie asked. "Leaving the twins for your business trips and fashion shows?"

Jane reached over and squeezed her hand, offering a sympathetic smile.

"You're always going to miss them when you go somewhere but the first time is the hardest. At least you're here with us. I was completely alone my first trip. Every time I called Bing, I was in tears because I missed them so much. I think I called about ten times a day," Jane confessed. "You know what put me at ease? I knew they were in good hands with Bing."

"William is wonderful with Eleanor. I'll never worry about her being in his care. Even when she has bad nights like she did last night, apparently," Lizzie said. "I just really miss them. It was hard enough going back to work but I came home to her at the end of the day. I'm itching to get her in my arms again. It's like I'm going through withdrawals."

"Scarlett and Charlie will happily hug you all day long. They're the best huggers," Jane said, making Lizzie smile genuinely.

"Eleanor is a cuddler. She has been since the day she was born. Now that she's becoming more aware of her surroundings and recognizes me and William, it's even better," Lizzie said wistfully.

"There's so many things you're going to get to experience for the first time with your daughter. You're going to be amazed at what she's capable of," Jane said. "Five days away from her is nothing compared to the years you'll be with her."

"Jane," Lizzie sighed, looking at her sister. "Thank you."

"Any time." Jane squeezed her hand. "I have a fun afternoon planned so we should get going."

"Should I change? What are we doing?"

"You're dressed fine. I've got a typical Bennet sisters day planned. Lunch, nails, shopping, and maybe a stop at La Petite Coquette," Jane said, waggling her eyebrows. Lizzie laughed. "I'm so glad you're here. I've really missed you."

"Me too," Lizzie said, standing up and putting her phone in her pocket. "Time with you is just what I need today."

"Brandon, you've outdone yourself again. This was delicious," William complimented after his last bite. He put his silverware down and took a sip of wine.

"Told ya. He's the best," Fitz said smugly, giving his husband's shoulder a squeeze.

"I wouldn't say that. I follow recipes well," Brandon chuckled. "Thank you, Darcy."

"I'll clean up," William said. Fitz told him he'd keep an eye on Eleanor, who was placed between them in her swing seat and just starting to wake up. He smiled and started collecting the dishes. "It's really the best I've eaten all week."

"I made plenty so you're set until Lizzie gets home," Brandon told him. As William headed to the kitchen, Fitz poured him and Brandon a little more wine. "I know it can't be easy to be the only parent this week."

"It's definitely been an experience," William admitted. "But we're figuring it out. I commend anybody who raises a child by themselves."

"Says the man who did just that," Fitz said.

"Gigi was practically a teenager already. The struggles we went through were vastly different," William said.

"Still, you were pretty much on your own," Brandon pointed out.

"True," William said quietly. He turned back to the dishes and worked on getting them spotless. After a couple minutes, he could hear Eleanor begin to fuss and Fitz picked her up out of her seat. "She's hungry. I need to get a bottle ready."

"Do you mind if I do it?" Fitz asked as William took a bottle of breastmilk out of the fridge and began to warm it up.

"You sure?"

"Oh yea. Me and Sunshine need some more bonding time," Fitz said. William started to give him tips before he stopped him. "I've babysat her before _and_ I've fed her. I think I got it."

"Alright, alright," William said, holding up his hands. He handed Fitz the bottle as soon as it was ready and he returned to the dining room table. William finished up the last of the dishes and joined them only a minute later. He watched Fitz with Eleanor, who looked content in his arms while she ate.

"You're always surprised I'm good with kids," Fitz spoke up, a little smirk on his face.

"Not particularly. I'm more surprised by how mellow Eleanor is with everybody," William said, handing him a burp cloth for when she finished. "She offers smiles to anybody and everybody."

"She is not her father's daughter in that aspect," Brandon joked.

"Very much her mother in that respect," William agreed. "But she's basically me when it comes to missing Lizzie."

"Are you going to give Daddy a hard time tonight, Sunshine?" Fitz asked, looking down to Eleanor. "Are you going to sleep through the night?"

"I hope so. But I think I've got it figured out if I hear those cries tonight," he said. "Here I am monopolizing the night and talking about Eleanor the whole night. How are you guys?"

"Well, we do actually have some news. We're in the process of looking for a new place. We decided we're going to move," Fitz said.

"Really?" William's eyebrows shot up. "That's exciting. Have you looked at any places yet?"

"We have. There are three—"

"Two," Brandon interrupted. "That purple house is not us."

"No way! It screams me!" Fitz defended. "It's got so much personality."

"Only the outside. The inside is too old-fashioned for us," Brandon shook his head before turning to William. "We are debating between _two_ houses. We're going to be checking them out one last time on Saturday and we're going to put an offer on our favorite."

"One is in Noe Valley and the other is right around here. There's perks to both of them so it's hard to decide," Fitz said. "We love both neighborhoods and the views are amazing from both. The one in Noe Valley has five bedrooms, three and a half baths, vaulted ceilings, and a heated pool!"

"But the one in Russian Hill is completely renovated with state-of-the-art systems, huge garage so we never have to worry about parking, four bedrooms, has a fire pit and grill on the roof, and it's essentially wired to be a smart home," Brandon said.

"And it has an elevator!" Fitz added.

William laughed. "Both homes sound wonderful. What's the reason for the change though? Going from a two-bedroom place to a five-bedroom house?"

"Well," Fitz hesitated and glanced to Brandon. "Here's where we swear you to secrecy."

"Seriously?"

"Yea, Darce. I mean it. Literally, you can't even tell Lizzie," Fitz warned. "Tell her all about us moving and the details of our places but this is a lock and key sitch right now."

"O…kay," William said hesitantly.

"Okay. You ready for it?" Fitz asked. "We're having a baby!"

"I… Huh?" William sat up straight in his chair, feeling completely caught off guard. "What? When?"

"Fitz! Way to lead in with that. We're _planning_ to have a baby," Brandon corrected. "We've been talking about starting a family for the last couple years. We started seriously discussing it over the past year or so."

"Right. We've been doing our research with adoption and surrogacy," Fitz said, pausing as Eleanor finished the bottle. He put the burp cloth on his shoulder and adjusted her, patting her on her back. "And we've been going back and forth between what we'd like to do. We know there's benefits to both options but there's a hell of a lot of hoops to jump through so we wanted to choose what was best for us."

"This…is amazing news," William managed, his smile getting big.

"We've only _just_ decided to go with surrogacy so there's still a lot to go through," Brandon said.

"I have so many questions. I can't believe you swore me to secrecy with this one, Fitz," William groaned.

"Sucks, doesn't it?" Fitz teased. When she was finally burped, he passed Eleanor over to Brandon and he faced her towards the table, propping her in his lap.

"So, you're really going to start a family?"

"We are," Fitz confirmed happily. "Brandon comes from a big family and I always thought I'd eventually get a brother or sister but it didn't happen. I obviously turned out fantastic but ideally, we'd like two. We're doing this one step at a time so we'll just have to see."

"What made you choose surrogacy over adoption?" William asked.

"A lot actually had us leaning towards adoption but in the end, it's the biological aspect that made us decide on surrogacy," Brandon answered. "With two kids, we could each have that chance. We want to be there from the beginning. We want to be there for doctor appointments, ultrasounds, and the labor. Finding the right surrogate helps us get that."

"I am thrilled for you two. I'm obviously biased but parenthood has changed me for the better," William said. "I wouldn't even trade the sleepless nights for anything. It felt like such a privilege to be witness to each and every ultrasound Lizzie had and being next to her for every appointment. I had a front seat to seeing my daughter growing and hearing about her development and there's no other experience like it."

"Eleanor was a bit of an influence on our decision," Fitz said.

"And we've loved all the time we get with her," Brandon said, looking down at her in his lap.

"Trying to fit in some practice?" William asked lightly, flashing a smile to his daughter. She cooed happily in response. "You two are more than welcome to babysit any time."

"Sunshine always makes my day better!" Fitz said.

"Is there a general timeline for this? How long do I have to keep this giant secret?"

"We're telling the group about moving at the monthly dinner this month if it happens," Brandon said, bouncing his leg a little and getting a giggle from Eleanor. "Once we've closed on a house, we're going to be starting the legal process and looking for a surrogate. Our hypothetical timeline would get us moved in and ready to host the monthly dinner by June? So…June?"

"Four months," William deadpanned. "I'm keeping this huge piece of news from my wife, mother of my child, love of my life for four months?"

"Look, I know it's a big secret to keep but you're my best friend, Darcy. Hell, you're basically family," Fitz said seriously. "Gigi is like my sister but she would be bursting at the seams after a few weeks and I love Lizzie, but we want to keep it quiet for now while we get things sorted. Brandon and I have been talking about this for a really long time and we were dying to tell someone else because we finally made a decision. We _know_ we can trust you."

"I'm honored. Thank you."

Fitz clapped his hand on William's shoulder and smiled his one-hundred watt smile.

"Thank _you_ , man. It's such a relief that somebody else knows now," Fitz said. "So yeah. That's our news. New house and new addition, so to speak."

"Do you guys mind showing me the houses you're raving about?"

"Absolutely! Maybe you could be our tiebreaker," Fitz said. "If you like the one with the pool, you could bring Elle and teach her to swim. Then we could have pool playdates with our kids."

"That's rather tempting," William chuckled.

They showed him both houses and talked about the pros and cons of each place with William giving his input. Before heated debate on the two houses began, Eleanor let them all know she needed her diaper changed. William realized it was time for her bath and Fitz and Brandon decided to stay and help out. He was appreciative of the extra hands as they helped him get her ready for bed before leaving. The excitement of the evening seemed to tire her out and it didn't take nearly as long to get her down for the night as the previous night. He watched her sleeping for a few minutes and left the room, hoping she'd sleep through the rest of the night.

* * *

 _Friday, March 15th_

As much as William had wished for uninterrupted nights of sleep, Eleanor woke up in the middle of the night on both Wednesday and Thursday night. Lizzie's video diaries were life savers for the two of them. While it still took him a while to get her to calm down and get her back to sleep, it was considerably less than the first night it happened. It also helped that he skipped the heavier videos and played his favorites, feeling particularly nostalgic over their first days of happiness.

By Friday, he was even more anxious for Lizzie's arrival back home. She hadn't helped his impatience by sending him countdown texts right at the start of his day.

Lydia offered to babysit Eleanor for the day while he went to work. Once she arrived in the morning, he told her about her recent sleeping patterns and to try to get her to nap so she could catch up on sleep.

"You know me. I'm energetic," Lydia said with a wink as she took him from his arms. "I'll tire her out in no time."

"Thank you, Lydia," William chuckled. "I appreciate you being able to watch her."

"It's my pleasure! I need bonding time with my niece!" Lydia said.

"There's plenty of breastmilk in the freezer and I prepared a few bottles for you in the fridge. You just have to warm them up when she gets hungry. Everything else she needs is in the nursery."

"I've got this, William," Lydia assured.

"You can call me with any questions and if there's an emergency," William continued. "I'd like to hear how things are going throughout the day?"

"Don't worry, you'll get updates. My sis is already demanding them," Lydia told him. "Now go to work! Everything is totes under control!"

"Right," William nodded, patting down Eleanor's hair and giving her a kiss on the forehead. "I'll try to be home by five, six at the latest."

"Bye!" Lydia said, waving with Eleanor's little hand. He got a glimpse of a smile from his daughter at the same time and it made walking out the door even harder.

Today felt like the longest day of Lizzie's life. She was antsy to get back home but she had to get through the last bit of business. She and Andrea sat through the wrap-up meeting with Scholastic before the executives treated them to a nice lunch. They had an extraordinary amount of faith in them and they extended the contract with D.E.P. for a further five years. She was also promised her choice of any book or book series after this next project.

After business was finished and there was a misty-eyed goodbye to her sister, Bing, and the twins, Lizzie headed off to the airport with Andrea. Getting through security took far longer than they anticipated but when they got through, they discovered their plane was delayed by an hour anyway. She was already getting home later than she wanted and now she had to wait even longer. Lizzie had been keeping William up-to-date with her whole day and sending him a countdown to her return. When she adjusted the timing and told him about the small delay, she could practically _hear_ the disappointment in his text reply.

While waiting, Andrea and Lizzie exchanged ideas to figure out what would work and what wouldn't work on the new project until it was finally time to board. Lizzie sent a message to William and let him know she was finally on her way back to him and Eleanor. After his quick and enthusiastic reply, she shut off her phone. She and Andrea continued their discussion throughout the flight, both taking notes on what they liked the most. Their new murder mystery project had a lot of potential and Lizzie was predicting that she'd have a lot of antsy viewers on her hands soon enough.

Lizzie landed just after seven in the evening and she immediately turned on her phone to text William. She only had carry-on luggage so she quickly got an Uber ride home and headed home.

She smiled at the doorman when she passed him and waited for the elevator. If she wasn't on the top floor, she would have run up the stairs. Once she was inside, she watched every number pass and she tapped her foot with impatience. That fantastic little ding told her she was on her floor and she had to stop herself from running down the hallway. Putting her bag of goodies down to search her purse, she fished around for her keys. Before she even had a chance to find them, the door swung open and she was practically lifted off the floor as William pulled her into his arms.

"Will," Lizzie sighed with relief, returning the hug. She buried her face in his shoulder and inhaled, breathing in that smell she missed so much. She was finally right where she wanted to be.

"Missed you," William rumbled, sliding one hand to the back of her neck and stroking that spot.

"I missed you too," Lizzie replied, pulling back a little. He turned his face towards her and kissed her square on the mouth, giving her a proper kiss hello. She hummed with appreciation. He pulled away too soon for her liking and she sighed. Lizzie finally got a good look at her husband and her face softened with sympathy. He had a five-o-'clock shadow and faint circles under his eyes.

"Were you waiting by the door for me?" Lizzie asked playfully as he grabbed her bag and luggage.

"Just well-timed," William said, closing the door behind them. "I heard the sound of your suitcase wheels and was too impatient."

"I appreciate the welcome home," Lizzie said, emerging from the entryway. She spotted Eleanor in her swing seat and she hurried over to her, her heart bursting when her daughter broke out into a smile and cooed at the sight of her. She picked her up and held her close. "Hi, my sweet girl! Oh, I missed you so much. I heard you missed me too."

"She did. Very much," William spoke up, putting her luggage by the hallway and her purse on the kitchen counter.

"Did I miss bath time?" Lizzie asked with disappointment, noticing Eleanor's pajamas.

"Sorry," William said with a sympathetic look. "I planned to wait until you got home but Eleanor got a little overexcited so she _needed_ a bath."

"At least I'm home in time for bed time," Lizzie murmured, kissing the top of Eleanor's head and breathing in her scent. "Oh, I missed her smell. I'm never leaving again."

"I won't argue with that," William chuckled, coming up to her side and putting his arm around her waist. "Are you hungry? I made pasta with pesto and vegetables earlier."

"I could eat but not right this second," Lizzie said, bouncing Eleanor in her arms and making cute faces. "I'm trying to figure out what to do right now. I don't want to throw off her schedule but I've missed her so much and want to spend all night with her."

"You have the whole weekend to do nothing but spend time with us," William pointed out. "I purposely didn't feed her a bottle after bath time in case you wanted to nurse her. With you home, I'm confident she'll sleep through the night after that."

"You're right. I'll get her to bed, take a shower, and have something to eat after," Lizzie said, bumping her hip into his own. "Then it's just you and me."

"We have a lot to catch up on," William said, one corner of his mouth tipping up. He learned in and kissed her temple before dropping his arm from her waist.

"Come on, baby girl! It's time for bed," Lizzie spoke to Eleanor. "Let's see if we can't get you down for the _whole_ night so Daddy can get an uninterrupted night of sleep!"

Lizzie spent over an hour with Eleanor getting her down but not because her daughter was resisting. She simply missed her and didn't want to resist the smiles her daughter kept giving her. After a long shower and a late dinner that William reheated for her, they went straight to bed.

"It feels so nice to be home," Lizzie said.

"I'm happy you are. This week went by very slowly," William replied, pressing his lips to the top of her head.

"And I swear Eleanor is bigger."

William chuckled. "Barely. She's still in the same size."

"She feels bigger to me," Lizzie said. "All I want to do this weekend is stay in with you two."

"Sounds good to me."

"Really? You don't have something elaborate planned for my birthday or our anniversary?" Lizzie prodded.

"If I did, I wouldn't tell you," William said. "But I thought it would be nice to celebrate with just the three of us. It is Eleanor's first time celebrating the joint occasions, after all."

"So thoughtful."

"More like selfish. I didn't want to share you with anybody else but her this year," William said playfully before gently poking her side. "So, will you be telling me what the new book is or do I try and get it out of Eleanor?"

"So impatient." Lizzie poked him back. "The book is called _One of Us is Lying_. It's basically like _The Breakfast Club_ meets murder mystery. Five students go in for afternoon detention but only four of them come out alive."

"That sounds intriguing! I can already tell you have fifty ideas."

"I have _hundreds_ , Will!" Lizzie said eagerly, beaming at him. "The potential for this book is out of this world. Just wait until you hear the whole plot…"

* * *

 _Sunday, March 17th_

Once Lizzie was home, William's theory about Eleanor and her sleeping habits were proven right. She was so used to Lizzie nursing her and putting her to bed and the business trip had thrown her off. William and Lizzie actually got a full night's sleep and they both felt well rested when Eleanor woke them up in the morning.

The three of them did exactly what Lizzie wanted and stayed inside for all of Saturday. It helped that the weather was rainy and gloomy for the entire day. Eleanor took a nice long nap in the afternoon and Lizzie and William took advantage of the time alone, once in the bedroom and again in the shower. They were in exceptionally good moods the rest of the day and their daughter fed off that, smiling and cooing when they played with her. Their day ended with Eleanor going down quickly for the night and them falling asleep by the fire while they watched a movie.

On Sunday, Lizzie was woken up by William and Eleanor with breakfast in bed. More specifically, she was woken up by William, who had Eleanor strapped to his chest while he held a tray of food.

"Happy birthday!" William said. "And good morning."

"Good morning! What do we have here?" Lizzie asked, sitting up in bed.

"Some of your favorites," William replied, setting the tray in front of her. There was a small stack of pancakes as well as some bacon and scrambled eggs.

"It smells and looks delicious," Lizzie complimented.

"Eleanor helped," William told her.

"She did?" Lizzie asked in surprise, lifting a brow. "How?"

"By keeping Daddy company and not waking up Mommy before I was finished," William told her.

"What a good little girl!" Lizzie beamed, reaching out and gently shaking Eleanor's hand that stuck out. She got a little gurgle in response.

"I'll let you eat," William said, glancing down at Eleanor and smiling. "We've got some dishes to wash."

"Will, wait!" Lizzie stopped him. She beckoned him closer. He brought one hand up to support Eleanor while he bent down and kissed Lizzie. "Happy anniversary, Will."

"Happy anniversary, Lizzie," William murmured. "Enjoy your breakfast."

It was another rainy day for the Darcy family but they happily spent it indoors. Lizzie took care of lunch and made William's favorites for their anniversary. Eleanor improved on her ability to roll over onto her back and interact with her parents. Lizzie's phone rang and pinged all day with family and friends wishing her happy birthday and congratulating them on six years together. She had a birthday phone call with Charlotte and they made promises to get together for lunch by the end of the week, just the two of them.

William surprised Lizzie with a few different gifts. For her birthday, he gave her a framed picture of him and Eleanor from a photoshoot he secretly had done a while back. Along with the picture was a future photography session for the three of them so they could have proper family photos. Lizzie gave him a couple gifts and brought home some for Eleanor, as well. She teased him about another gift she bought in New York that he wouldn't be seeing until their daughter was down for the night.

Unsurprisingly, they had Chinese food delivered for dinner to commemorate the six years they had been together. They toasted each other with glasses of sparkling cider while Eleanor was keeping herself occupied, sitting in the swing seat and playing with her hands.

"Thank you for not planning anything for today," Lizzie said, taking a break from eating. "Besides this, obviously."

"Chinese food is a must," William smiled. "I do have one more gift for you, though."

"Like everything you gave me wasn't enough?" Lizzie asked as he got up from the table. He gave her a little smirk before he hustled to his office, returning a minute later.

"I couldn't resist," William said, handing her an envelope and sitting back down beside her. Lizzie opened the envelope and pulled out a few brochures; one of a resort in Napa County and others of activities in the same area.

"What's this?"

"This is where we'll be going for our next trip. Just the two of us," William said. "I know you just returned and you don't want to leave Eleanor right now so that's why you get to choose the weekend. We haven't had a weekend away in forever and we both deserve it."

"This place looks so nice," Lizzie sighed, looking through the brochure. "It sounds really relaxing. Do I have to decide right now?"

"No," William shook his head. "We can make reservations whenever you'd like, even if it's a year from now."

"I wouldn't take that long. Maybe in a couple months?" Lizzie said, holding up the other brochures. "And these?"

"Various activities in the area that you get to choose from. I left one out. I had to keep something a surprise," William said and Lizzie laughed softly.

"I wouldn't expect any less," Lizzie said, leaning in for a soft kiss. "Thank you, Will. I already know I'm going to love it."

"I hoped so," William hummed. "I love you."

"I love you too."

"Good day?" William asked.

Lizzie shook her head and his brows furrowed in confusion before she answered, "Wonderful day."

* * *

 _Notes:_

 _Big things are happening! I'm very excited. Are you?_

 _No extras for this chapter. You'll see which house Fitz and Brandon chose in the next chapter and where Lizzie and William will be going soon enough._

 _Thank you again for all your support :)_


	25. First Spring

_Notes: It's been a busy month for me. I became an aunt amongst other things! Then the other site I post this on wouldn't work for me for the past few days and I post this chapter at the same time. Sorry for the delay but to make up for it, this is an extra long chapter! I hope you enjoy it._

* * *

 _Summary: It's an eventful spring for the Darcy family and their friends._

* * *

 _Wednesday, April 10th_

For the first time in a while, the group had been unable to get together for a monthly dinner in March due to their busy schedules, so Fitz and Brandon broke the news via email that they were officially moving to a new house and their place was on the market. They wanted to host the monthly dinner in May to show everything off after they moved in.

March rolled into April in the blink of an eye and Eleanor began going to work with William on Mondays and Fridays, getting her more and more used to daycare. It was hard to believe that she was already five months old. While she was still little, the doctor assured them that she was developing right on track. Eleanor could hold her head up steadily, push herself up and roll over when she was on her stomach, and reacted with coos and gurgles whenever they talked to her. She was even becoming more expressive and making new sounds with her mouth, which delighted Lizzie and William to no end.

Lizzie was back at work five days a week. Since the first of the month, she had the social media team dropping little hints on Twitter about the new book project and they had a countdown on their website that would lead to the unveiling of the project on the first of May. While they were still in early stages of the project, it was creating some much-needed buzz and the viewing stats for the other ongoing projects were shooting through the roof.

Gigi would be on a business trip for most of the month, heading to London for meetings and then to Paris to scout out locations for another possible international office. She and Lizzie usually had a standing date on Mondays, but the only time their schedules would allow before Gigi flew out on Friday was today.

So, for the first time in a while, Lizzie was walking down the halls of Pemberley Digital without the intent of seeing her husband, who was home with Eleanor. According to his last text, he and Eleanor were working on her sitting skills. He sent a video of her sitting up unassisted for a moment before she sneezed and fell backwards. She pulled out her phone just as she was reaching Gigi's office so she could show her the video. She was barely paying attention to her path and expected to walk into her office. Instead, Lizzie walked right into somebody and dropped her phone.

"I'm so sorry!" Lizzie apologized, taking a step back.

"My fault, really," he assured, bending down to pick up her phone. He stood up and she got a good look at the man in front of her. He was as tall as William, had curly black hair to his ears, and a thousand-watt smile. "Phone looks fine too. No cracks. I'm Naveen—"

"Bhatt!" Lizzie finished, a bit enthusiastically as he handed over her phone "You're the new head of communications."

"Am I that notorious?" Naveen asked lightly, looking back into the office.

"No, but I _have_ heard of you," Lizzie said. "I'm—"

"Lizzie? Is that you?" Gigi appeared in the doorway behind Naveen.

"Lizzie? As in the CEO of Decent Enough Productions, the wife of this company's CEO, and Georgiana's sister-in-law?" Naveen asked.

"So you've heard of me too," Lizzie said, shaking his hand. "Hi, Gigi. Naveen and I ran into each other."

"Quite literally," Naveen added, moving out of Gigi's way and leaning against the frame of the door.

"Are you okay?" Gigi asked and Lizzie nodded.

"No harm," he said before looking back to Lizzie. "What brings you to enemy territory?"

Lizzie smiled. "Gigi and I are having lunch. And I'd hardly consider our companies to be on the same level. Mine's still building its foundation."

"I did my research before I arrived and your company was consistently mentioned as one of the best. I'd say you've built your foundation," Naveen said. "It's one I'd happily work for if the right offer was made." He winked.

"I'm pretty sure I couldn't afford you," Lizzie said with a laugh. "But thank you for the compliment. You really know how to butter somebody up."

"Maybe you could butter this one up for me, eh?" Naveen gestured to Gigi. Gigi rolled her eyes behind him and Lizzie lifted an eyebrow in question.

"What do you need?"

"I've been here for nearly two months and barely know the city. Since I knew Georgiana from when she managed in London, I was hoping she'd give me a tour," Naveen explained. "I was just in here to convince her again but to no avail."

"I have it on authority that she's an _excellent_ tour guide," Lizzie said, barely holding back her delight. "Don't worry. I think I can help you out. This city is definitely worth knowing through her eyes."

"Brilliant! Well, I really must get back to work. Enjoy your lunch, ladies. It was a pleasure to meet you, Lizzie."

"You too, Naveen," Lizzie said, waving goodbye. She waited a moment and then gently nudged Gigi back into her office, closing the door behind her.

"Don't even start, Lizzie!" Gigi said when she saw the obvious glee on Lizzie's face.

Lizzie ignored that. "First of all, you undersold that man. He's more attractive than I expected," Lizzie started. Gigi pressed her lips together to hold back a smile but it did no good. Lizzie noticed the faint blush in her cheeks and the sparkle in her eyes.

"Let me just tell my brother that," she said.

"I'm married, not dead. I can appreciate another man's looks," Lizzie told her, rolling her eyes. "I could go on and on about what I love about William but it would just gross you out."

"Get to the point, Lizzie," Gigi whined. "I'm hungry!"

"He clearly just gave you an opening. A tour of the city? Really, Gigi? Who's the one who set up a day of sightseeing when I was first here so I could get closer to her brother?"

"William did," Gigi pointed out, a bit smugly. "It was his idea."

"Okay, I'll give you that. Still, you orchestrated the whole day so that we'd be in pictures together and you stayed back to make sure that he was my tour guide instead of you," Lizzie said before squeezing her arm. "From that quick meeting just now, it's not hard to see that he likes you. You've talked about him enough that I know you like him too. Are you worried about what William might think? Or how he'd react?"

"No. He's gotten better about me dating. I think he's finally figured it out that I'm a grown woman and can take care of myself. I'm just not going to introduce him to every single guy I go out with, especially if it's just one or two dates. I don't see the point in that," Gigi said, chewing on her bottom lip.

"I know that," Lizzie said. "But I also know that there's no rule against interoffice dating here."

"Sometimes, it kind of sucks you know everything about this company," Gigi said jokingly.

"You love it," Lizzie teased back. "So? Why are you hesitating?"

"I'm really busy!" Gigi said defensively. "I'm leaving this week and won't be back until the end of the month."

"But what about planning for something when you come back? Don't tell me your time away is enough for his interest to wane."

Gigi sighed. "We'll see what happens when I come back. _If_ there's still interest on his side."

"Oh, come on. You're amazing. I have a feeling he'll still feel the same way three weeks from now," Lizzie offered. "Absence makes the heart grow fonder. I know that from experience."

A hopeful expression spread across Gigi's face and Lizzie knew that was what she needed to hear.

"I mean…I _am_ a pretty great tour guide."

"You are," Lizzie nodded, looping her arm with hers. "I'm looking forward to hearing about your eventual first date."

"I swear you're worse than me!" Gigi snorted.

"No one is worse than you," Lizzie grinned. "Also, you were right. He does look pretty good in a suit."

Gigi brightened further. "I told you!"

"Not as amazing as William does. Those suits fit so nicely…" Lizzie said wistfully and Gigi groaned.

"I don't need the details," Gigi said, tugging on her arm. "I'm starving. Can we go eat now?"

"Yes! I am too!" Lizzie said as they left Gigi's office. As they did, Lizzie remembered the whole reason why she bumped into Naveen in the first place and she pulled her phone out of her pocket. "Do you want to see an adorable video of Eleanor?"

"Aren't they all adorable?" Gigi asked.

"Yes but this one is from today and it's especially adorable," Lizzie said.

"Of course! Bring on the cuteness!"

* * *

 _Saturday, April 20th_

Before Eleanor was born, Lizzie and William had a discussion about the importance of holidays to them. They both had happy childhood memories of the bigger holidays and wanted the same thing for their daughter. Easter was a holiday that conjured up more happy thoughts for Lizzie than William. For him, his parents hadn't seen the holiday as a religious one so he hadn't really celebrated it before. Lizzie had regaled stories with him of dyeing eggs with her sisters, getting Easter baskets with giant chocolate bunnies, and getting competitive with the Easter egg hunts. After hearing her stories, he wanted the same thing for their daughter and they planned to enjoy it.

They knew Eleanor wouldn't be the most active participant for her first official Easter but they still planned a few activities with their friends for the weekend, ending with their monthly dinner on Sunday instead of their usual Saturday. Charlotte and Lydia came over on Saturday afternoon to paint Easter eggs while William and Sam went to Fitz and Brandon's to help with packing.

While Lizzie set everything up in the dining room, Lydia and Charlotte were getting some play time with Eleanor. She watched from the kitchen as they sat on the floor in the living room, with her daughter between them. They had their hands stretched out to catch Eleanor whenever she rolled backwards from her sitting position. She was already regularly rolling onto her back from her stomach and had finally figured out how to roll onto her stomach in the past couple weeks. Now she was trying to master the art of sitting up unassisted for more than a few moments at a time. Lizzie and William had been making sure to be putting her in sitting positions, using pillows when they had her on the couch and a Bumbo seat when they were at the table.

"Whoopsie! And down you go again," Lydia cried, helping her niece back up. Eleanor was all smiles and squealed, smacking her hand on the floor. While she showed her frustrations with tummy time and learning to turn over, she thought everything about learning to sit up was hysterical.

"Lizzie, she's getting so much better at this!" Charlotte told her. "I can't believe how much she's grown since I last saw her!"

"You need to come over more often!" Lizzie reprimanded and Charlotte smiled sheepishly. "Our birthday dinner wasn't nearly long enough for you to visit."

"I've been so busy. The company is rolling out tons of new content so I've been having long days to make sure it's up to Ricky's standards. And Sam has had an influx of patients so his calendar has been booked solid for the past two weeks, as well as the next _month_. This weekend is a rare free weekend for us," Charlotte said. She thrusted out her hand when she thought Eleanor was going to tip over but the baby caught herself by slapping one of her little hands on the floor.

"I, for one, can't get enough of these chubby cheeks!" Lydia said, lightly pinching one. Eleanor lit up and smiled up at her. "I'm just sorry Adam is missing all of this."

"Family functions take precedence and his sister asked him to come home way before we planned anything," Lizzie said, shrugging it off. "I appreciate the effort you took to be here, though, especially knowing it can be hard for you to get weekends off when you're in previews."

"I think we all really needed this time to relax," Charlotte said. "I'm glad you set it all up, Lizzie."

"Eleanor needs her traditions and I loved doing this with you guys and Jane when we were younger," Lizzie said, getting smiles from both girls. "Plus, she loves seeing all of you."

"She just loves the attention," Lydia said playfully, picking the baby up and blowing raspberries on her belly. Eleanor squealed with happiness and kicked her legs.

"Just like you!" Charlotte teased. Lydia narrowed her eyes and stuck her tongue out at her. Charlotte returned the gesture.

"Don't make me separate you two," Lizzie said, shaking her head at their antics. She turned to Eleanor.

"Come back to Mommy, baby girl!" Lizzie said sweetly, taking her from Lydia's arms so she could get up from the ground. Her daughter cooed in her arms and she kissed the top of her head, holding her tightly for a moment. While Charlotte and Lydia took their seats, Lizzie set Eleanor up in her newly purchased baby jumper that she had put right next to the table. William had bought the activity jumper the weekend prior after a suggestion by one of the daycare employees. There were multiple toys attached to it along with interactive lights and sounds. Eleanor responded to it much the same way she responded to everything else lately, with big smiles and sweet laughter.

Lizzie had set up the newspaper-covered table with small paint brushes and numerous different dyes and had hardboiled two cartons of eggs. The three of them spent some time dying the eggs, experimenting with different colors and designs.

"It's a shame the guys couldn't join us," Charlotte said, putting details on her second egg. "I still can't believe they're moving. They've been in that place for years. Have you seen pictures of the new place?"

"I have. It's got an _elevator_ ," Lizzie said.

"I'm jealous that it's a detached house. That would be the dream," Charlotte said. "Completely unaffordable though. Sam and I would be lucky to find a single-family home in our price range."

"Are you planning to move, Char?" Lizzie asked.

"Not any time soon," Charlotte shook her head. "Probably when we have a baby."

"And when is _that_?" Lizzie asked eagerly.

"Not any time soon," Charlotte repeated emphatically. "It's going to be a few years so don't get all excited."

"Oh, come on. I can get a little excited at the prospect of Eleanor having a playmate," Lizzie said, looking to her daughter as she let out a high squeal. "That's why William and I would move. When we decide to have a second baby, we're going to move to a bigger place."

"That should be interesting," Charlotte commented, putting a finished egg in the carton and grabbing another. "You and William looking for a house that fits both your styles."

"I don't think it would be too bad. I actually love it here, even though it was his to begin with. We've remodeled plenty of it and given it the 'Lizzie flair,'" Lizzie said. "I _love_ my library and office."

"Right. I'm just wondering what it would be like when you start from scratch," Charlotte said. "He would totally—"

"Hey!" Lydia interrupted. "You don't think Fitz and Brandon are moving because _they're_ gonna have a kid, do you?"

"Nah. I think they just want more space," Charlotte said. "Can you imagine Fitz with a child of his own?"

"He's so good with Eleanor. She's always a happy camper when he babysits," Lizzie said. "He'd probably just spoil the hell out of his own kids and give them whatever they wanted."

"He'd want to be best buds with them," Lydia added. "Brandon would totes be the parent who makes all the rules."

"Yea," Lizzie chuckled. "William and I agreed that we would both try to lay down the rules."

"Good luck with that," Charlotte said as all three of them looked at Eleanor. She visibly lit up from the attention and bounced in place, squealing loudly.

"Eleanor! So noisy!" Lizzie jokingly reprimanded, bending over and bopping her on the nose. She sat back up and picked up her nearly completed egg. "Yeah. She's going to make it really hard for me to be the bad parent. She's so hard to resist as it is."

"Just leave the hard stuff to William!" Lydia suggested with a grin.

"That would work if he wasn't just as smitten with our daughter as I was," Lizzie said with a shrug. "We'll figure it out."

"Preferably before she gets mobile, which will be sooner than you realize," Charlotte pointed out.

"Don't remind me!" Lizzie groaned, looking around. "We need to baby proof this place ASAP."

"I'm surprised William hasn't already done it," Lydia said, holding up her egg to show them. Lizzie and Charlotte gave her praise for her design.

"Actually, we do have a couple baby gates from when the twins have visited," Lizzie said. "I'll talk to him when he gets home."

"How long do you think they'll be over there helping?" Charlotte asked and Lizzie glanced at the time on her phone.

"At least another hour or two," Lizzie said. "I want to get the eggs done and get everything ready before they return though."

"Good luck with that. I've painted four eggs to your one," Lydia said smugly. "And Charlotte is on her third one!"

"Oh! You be quiet. Just keep painting!"

* * *

 _Sunday, April 21st_

On Easter morning, there was a small amount of excitement in the Darcy household. William woke up to the sound of Eleanor's giggles from the baby monitor. Another second and reaching out for Lizzie, he realized she was already in the nursery, her voice coming through the speaker. He listened to her talking and stayed in bed, chuckling to himself at their conversation. She verbally debated on which outfit she should put the baby in, both of them Easter-themed. He didn't have to wait long to find out what she chose because she left the nursery with Eleanor, walking down the hallway to him.

"We're going to wake up Daddy!" Lizzie said in a sing-song voice as she approached the bedroom.

William tried to pretend to be asleep so Lizzie could wake him. Eleanor's high-pitched squeal of delight as they walked into the bedroom made it too difficult for him to hold back his smile.

"There he is! He's awake!" Lizzie said happily, bouncing Eleanor on her hip. "Good morning, Daddy!"

"Good morning! How are my two favorite ladies this morning?" he asked, sitting up and grabbing his glasses from the bedside table. He swung his legs to the floor, slipped on the t-shirt that was thrown to the bottom of the bed then held out his arms so Lizzie could hand Eleanor to him. She was wearing a white onesie that said 'Some bunny loves me' and a little bunny popping out of the writing. His smile grew and he pulled her in close, kissing both cheeks. "You are just too adorable, little missy."

"You all ready for your first Easter?" Lizzie asked.

"I think she is," William said, standing up. "She's appropriately dressed."

"Oh, it's _your_ first real Easter too!" Lizzie said to him, a playful look in her eyes.

"What are you up to?" William asked, amused.

"It's just a little Easter egg hunt," Lizzie said. "I made it really easy since it's the first time for both of you."

"Did you really?" William asked. Lizzie nodded enthusiastically. He smiled and bounced Eleanor once in his arm, getting a happy gurgle from her. "Ready to go on a little adventure, sweetheart? Let's see what Mommy did for us."

"The Easter Bunny," Lizzie corrected, looking pointedly at him.

"Right. Of course. Let's see what the Easter Bunny left us!" William said to Eleanor.

He walked out of the bedroom with her in his arms and Lizzie following behind them, her hands behind her back. He made a show of looking for things as he went down the hall, checking behind a few of the pictures on the wall. As soon as he walked out of the hallway, he spotted a dyed egg on top of a bowl of fruit on the kitchen countertop.

"I think I found something!" William said, picking up the egg and showing it to Eleanor. "Do you see what the Easter bunny left? I bet he left us more!"

"You'll need this," Lizzie said, handing him a little basket from behind her back.

For the next five minutes, he went searching for more eggs and made a big show of it. He found a few more in the kitchen, the dining room, and the living room. Eleanor's laugh made it worth it. William's basket was full of eggs by the time he was finished with the living room, dyed and painted with different designs.

"I think we've found them all," William said, glancing around the room. Then he spotted something on the floor at the top of the stairs. He walked over and noticed they looked like cutouts of animal feet. Upon further inspection, he spotted a few more going down the stairs and he figured they must have belonged to the elusive Easter Bunny. "Hmmm. The Easter Bunny is not very sly. He left a trail!"

"Better check it out," Lizzie told him. That fact that she was including him so he could experience what her Easters had been like was touching. He smiled widely and bopped Eleanor on the nose, holding her close as he walked downstairs with her. He followed the trail to the sitting area near the exercise room where two large baskets full of goodies, one for him and one for Eleanor, were perched on the bench at the bay window.

"You made _me_ an Easter basket?" William asked, looking back at Lizzie. She had a big smile on her face and was clearly proud of herself.

"Of course," Lizzie said, grabbing both baskets and bringing them over to the sitting area. William sat down and Lizzie took Eleanor from him before she handed her phone to him. He recorded everything while Lizzie helped their daughter go through her basket. Eleanor's was full of brightly colored toys and her eyes went wide with excitement as Lizzie held up a grey stuffed bunny rabbit. She reached out for the bunny and babbled when Lizzie gave it to her.

Once Lizzie finished with her basket, he checked his own to see what she had given him. There were a couple of ties in his favorite colors and one bowtie from a company he recently discovered and loved. There were plastic eggs full of jelly beans, a book, and some of his favorite candy. The pièce de résistance of the basket was a large chocolate bunny in a plastic box, which had yellow candy eyes and a pink candy bowtie.

"This is amazing," William sighed. "I can't believe you did this for me."

"It was my pleasure," Lizzie said, nudging his shoulder. "I'm glad you like it."

William leaned in to kiss her, prolonging the kiss by bringing a hand up to cup her neck. A little hand reached up between them and touched his cheek, making him laugh against Lizzie's lips. He pulled away and told Eleanor she was a silly baby. Then he kissed the top of her forehead and she cooed.

"So what's next on the Easter agenda?"

"Well, this little one has eaten, but I haven't. I'm starving," Lizzie said.

"I think it's time we go make ourselves some breakfast."

"Can you make some bunny-shaped pancakes?" Lizzie asked playfully and William chuckled, shaking his head.

"I think you'll have to settle for some Easter egg-shaped pancakes instead."

* * *

The rest of Easter was relaxing and Lizzie and William spent much of it playing with Eleanor and getting ready for the monthly dinner. William was making a pot roast and everybody else in the group was in charge of the sides and desserts. Eleanor was all dressed up in a spaghetti-strap romper that had multi-colored line patterns in spring colors and one row had Easter eggs with little chick faces popping out. There was a matching diaper cover complete with ruffles to go with it.

Everybody brought little Easter treats along with their dishes. Fitz topped everybody by bringing bunny ears for the group, along with a smaller set of ears for Eleanor. The first few times he tried to put them on her, she'd reach up, pull them off, and smile. Once Lizzie and William put their own set on, she stopped trying to take them off. Everybody else followed and they made a point of taking a picture. It was sent to Adam and Gigi, the only two missing from the party. The rest of the evening was full of good food, better dessert, and great conversation.

* * *

 _Saturday, May 11th_

William had gone back to work full time at the beginning of May and was bringing Eleanor with him daily. She appeared to be adjusting well to her revised daily routine and all the daycare employees loved having her. William would drop her off around eight am and pick her up at five so they'd be home by five thirty to start on dinner. Lizzie would usually get home between six and six thirty and help out wherever she could. After eating, Eleanor would have her bath before they'd put her down for bed. The rest of the night was reserved for the two of them, sometimes spent catching up on emails and other work, but mostly just unwinding with each other.

The last couple days, however, had been difficult for Lizzie and William. They were worried that Eleanor was getting sick. On Thursday, Claire at daycare had talked to William at the end of the day and pointed out that she didn't seem her normal happy self. She was still taking her bottle but not finishing it off like she usually did. The other thing she noticed was that she was occasionally tugging on her ears.

By Friday, it was apparent to both of them that something was wrong. She had woken up a couple times during the night and didn't nurse for very long when Lizzie tried to feed her. It also took longer than usual to get her back to sleep. William ended up staying home from work with Eleanor while Lizzie left work early, too wound up and worried to get any work done anyway. When Lizzie was putting Eleanor down for a nap, she noticed she felt warmer than normal and took her temperature. It had reached 100.1, which she had only seen one other time when she had her vaccinations. William called their doctor and discussed the symptoms but he was told not worry, to give her acetaminophen if her temperature went above 101, and to pay attention to other symptoms. If anything persisted for more than twenty-four hours, then it would be cause for concern. He made a doctor appointment for Monday, just in case.

Saturday was no better. Eleanor hadn't improved and she was the grumpiest Lizzie and William had ever seen her. They spent the better part of the day taking care of her and making sure she ate, no matter how fussy she got about it. They kept an eye on her temperature and it hadn't improved but it hadn't gotten worse. It was an exhausting day – she refused to nap for very long and it took nearly two hours for Lizzie to get her to nurse and down for the night.

"I hate this," Lizzie sighed, rejoining William. "I hate seeing her so miserable."

"I do too," William said. "I don't like waiting until Monday when she's like this. You don't think she's teething, do you?"

"No. She's drooling no more than usual and I checked her gums. They're not swollen. Plus she's not chewing on everything in sight," Lizzie said. "That's what Jane told me to look for."

"It _has_ to be something. I'm hoping the doctor can give us some answers," William said, rubbing his hands down his face.

"I feel helpless," Lizzie confessed. "This is the part of parenthood I was dreading."

William stood up and pulled her in for a hug, rubbing her back. He may not have been able to do much for Eleanor but he knew how to comfort his wife. He pressed his lips to the top of her head and she sighed, wrapping her arms around his waist.

"She's going to get better and this will be a distant memory. Our happy girl will be back us in no time."

Lizzie pulled back a little and looked up at him, nodding in agreement.

"I hope it's sooner rather than later."

* * *

 _Sunday, May 12th_

 _3:11 am_

Eleanor had woken up just after midnight, crying and waking up Lizzie and William. William quickly got up to check on her and discovered that she had a blowout. While he cleaned her up and changed her, Lizzie changed the sheets in the crib and they threw everything in the wash. It took some time to get her back down but not as long as earlier in the evening.

Just after three am, they were woken up again by loud cries from Eleanor. It startled the both of them and Lizzie practically fell out of bed to get to her. William lay in bed for another minute, rubbing his hands down his face and trying to wake himself up enough to help. After a few moments, he found the energy to pull himself out of bed. He shuffled down the hall as his daughter's cries grew louder.

"Oh, dammit!" Lizzie yelped. That lit a fire under him and he sprinted the rest of the way to the nursery. He stumbled over nothing through the doorway of the nursery and then stopped in his tracks. There were unshed tears in her eyes as she held a wailing Eleanor away from her soaked chest. "She threw up all over me. She's so warm and clammy. There's something really wrong, Will."

"Give her to me," William urged, grabbing a burping cloth. He took Eleanor and wiped off her face while she kept crying. Her hair was matted down to her forehead and he could feel the heat coming off her in waves. Whatever was wrong with her was not good at all. "Go clean yourself up and I'll take care of her."

Lizzie nodded and hurried out of the room while he began to undress Eleanor to clean her up. He heard the sound of the shower turn on only a minute later. His daughter's cries were painful to listen to and were worse than he ever heard before. There was no doubt that she was seriously sick. As he cleaned her up from head to toe, he noticed that her ears were especially red. He began to suspect they had a lot to do with her pain. Before he put on a clean diaper, he took her temperature and promptly swore when he read the display.

Her fever had spiked to 105.2.

"Shit. Shit!" William swore, repeating it a few more times. His hands trembled as he changed her diaper and dressed her in as little clothing as possible. Then he picked her up and tried to console her as best as possible, anxious for Lizzie to get out of the shower. They needed to go to urgent care and get there quickly. Trying his best to soothe her and getting ready at the same time proved to be difficult. It was impossible to tie his shoes with one hand. He breathed a sigh of relief when he heard the shower go off and Lizzie walked out soon after.

"Hurry up and get dressed. We're going to the hospital. She's got a fever of 105," William told her as calmly as possible. To him, his voice sounded shaky at best though.

The drive to the hospital was one of the most stressful ones of their lives. Lizzie stayed in the back with Eleanor, trying and failing to calm her down and pressing a cool cloth to her forehead. Despite it being nearly four in the morning, it still took too long to get to there. Once they got there, the hospital seemed to have its own sense of time. Waiting around to be seen felt like hours and when they were finally called, it seemed to move in slow motion.

Her temperature hadn't gone down at all but the nurse assured them that the pediatrician on call would be with them as soon as possible. No matter how much he and Lizzie tried to calm her down, it did no good. The only amount of relief he felt was when the doctor, who introduced himself as Dr. Ricardo, finally showed up, reading over the notes that the nurse wrote. His exam was gentle and it made William and Lizzie feel a little better.

"Your daughter has an ear infection," Dr. Ricardo informed them. He explained the diagnosis more in detail, checking off all the symptoms that Eleanor had. He told them he was going to prescribe her a course of antibiotics that she would be on for the next ten days. As for her fever, he was going to have the nurse give her a dose of acetaminophen right away. He wanted her to stay for observation for a while because of her fever.

"Should we worry about this reoccurring?" William asked while he wrote on his prescription pad.

"It's possible that once she's had an ear infection, she'll get more in the future," Dr. Ricardo replied. "Keep her ears clean and it will be easier to avoid. You'll be able to recognize the signs now."

"We will," Lizzie said quietly. She looked to William and there was guilt in her expression. "I can't believe we missed this."

"Don't blame yourselves. You did the right thing by bringing her here," Dr. Ricardo said, handing William orders for the prescription. "You should still keep your appointment with your pediatrician for Monday. She'll be able to check and see how this little one is responding to the antibiotics."

"How long do you think we'll be here for observation?" William asked.

"A few hours to be on the safe side," Dr. Ricardo said, checking the time. "As long as her fever starts going down, you'll be okay to leave mid-morning. I'll send the nurse back in with her acetaminophen right now."

"Thank you," William sighed, running a hand through his hair.

After Dr. Ricardo left, the nurse returned less than a minute later to administer medication to Eleanor. It wasn't long before her cries were becoming more intermittent. She was tiring herself out from crying so much and Lizzie and William weren't feeling much better. They had been up for half the night and the sun had already risen.

"I'm going to pick up this prescription," William said to Lizzie after a while. She was hunched over their daughter, brushing her fingers through her hair and talking to her softly. Lizzie looked over at him and smiled tiredly. "I'll bring us back something for breakfast. Call me if you need anything."

"I…forgot my phone," Lizzie said in realization.

"It's fine. I'll just be quick," William said, kissing her temple. He leaned down and brushed his fingers along Eleanor's cheek, still feeling the heat from her skin. "I'll be back, sweetheart. Daddy has to get your medication so you'll feel better."

"I hope it works," Lizzie said and William exhaled.

"You and me both, love," William agreed.

* * *

After William picked up the prescription and brought back breakfast from the cafeteria, he returned to Lizzie and Eleanor to wait it out. The nurse came in a few different times and checked on Eleanor's temperature twice. Once it had fallen to 101, the doctor told them they were free to go. The nurse went over extensive after-care instructions about finishing her antibiotics course and to keep giving her acetaminophen throughout the day to get her temperature back to normal.

Lizzie and William came home shortly after eleven am and they were feeling drained from getting so little sleep. Lizzie took Eleanor to the nursery to see if she would nurse and nap. While she fussed throughout nursing, she ate a little bit more than she had in the last few days. As for sleeping, she had cried so much that she exhausted herself out and fell asleep quickly after Lizzie put her in the crib.

"Well, she's down," Lizzie said, walking into the living room. She stopped when he turned around and she saw that he was on the phone. She mouthed 'sorry' and he held up a finger, letting her know it would only be another minute.

"Yes, that was Lizzie," William said, pausing. "You're sure? Thank you, Fran. I'll let her know and we'll call you later. Bye."

"I could have talked to her," Lizzie said before yawning. "Sorry. Weekly phone call?"

"Yep." William slipped his phone in his pocket. "She called you earlier but you left your phone here. I'm sure you'll have a message or two."

"Why so early? They usually call after dinner," Lizzie said.

"She was calling to wish you a happy Mother's Day," William said with a sympathetic look.

"It's Mother's Day?" Lizzie asked, her shoulders slumping. "I totally forgot. And we spent part of it in urgent care… Did you have plans?"

William shrugged, reaching out and rubbing her upper arm. "Things happen. Our daughter is what's most important."

Lizzie frowned. "And here I was hoping I could get in a nap while she slept."

"Then take one," William said. "My plans were simple and can be postponed until next year. I won't have to worry about trying to top this one."

Lizzie chuckled softly. "You're sure? You've had just as little sleep as I have."

"Don't worry about me," William said before kissing her forehead. "Today is your day. Get some sleep and then you'll feel better."

"You really are too good to me sometimes," Lizzie said, standing on the tip of her toes and giving him a kiss. "Thank you, Will."

* * *

Lizzie's nap ended up being postponed when Jane called her to wish her a happy Mother's Day. William kept coming in to check on her but he knew she needed to vent and talk to her sister. He would go in to check on her after he'd make a stop at the nursery, making sure that Eleanor was doing okay. After noticing how red her eyes were from lack of sleep, he insisted that she end the call. Just like their daughter, she didn't put up a fight as she slipped into bed. William turned off her phone for good measure and shut the bedroom door, in case Eleanor began crying.

While William was exhausted himself, he couldn't bring himself to get any rest. Once Lizzie fell asleep, he parked himself in the nursery for a while. When Eleanor finally woke up and fussed over her dirty diaper, he was quick to clean her up. He checked her temperature and breathed a sigh of relief as he saw that it had dropped further to 100.1 degrees. He gave her another dose of acetaminophen and took her to the living room to attempt to feed her. While he wished she would have had the whole bottle, he was happy that she drank half of it. All she wanted to do was cuddle, which he happily obliged her. He turned the television on for some background noise and settled on the couch while Eleanor laid against his chest. He rubbed her back while he half-watched some obscure movie, most of his attention on his daughter. She was the calmest he had seen her all weekend and he felt more useful than he had in the past four days. The buzz of his cell phone startled him slightly.

"Hello?" he answered in a hushed tone.

"Hey, William! It's Gigi," she replied. "Are you busy?"

"Not particularly," William said. "Why?"

"Where's Lizzie? I just tried to call her and I got sent straight to voicemail. Is everything okay?"

"Actually, we've had a couple of rough days. We spent half the night in Urgent Care with Eleanor," William said. She lifted her head at the sound of her name and he smiled at her. She looked at him curiously for another moment before putting her head back down, letting out a stilted breath. He kissed the top of her head.

"Oh no!" Gigi gasped. "Is she okay?"

"She had a high fever and an ear infection. Her fever is down but she'll be on antibiotics for the next ten days," William told her. "Lizzie is getting some sleep."

"And how are you doing?"

"Frankly, I'm exhausted but I want to keep an eye on Eleanor," William said, his words followed by a well-timed yawn.

"Typical brother," Gigi said and he heard her clucking her tongue. "You always forget about yourself when somebody is sick. You ran yourself ragged when I'd come down with a cold or had the flu. You've done the same thing with Lizzie and now you're doing it with Eleanor. It's great that you care so much but you can't get to the point that you make yourself sick."

"It's not that bad, Gigi," William said dismissively.

"If I know you as well as I do, you're running on fumes."

"I'll get plenty of sleep tonight and I'm staying home from work until Wednesday," William said roughly, holding back another yawn.

"I just want you to pay attention to your own needs too."

"I will," William promised. "Besides, I lost the chance to make Lizzie breakfast in bed for Mother's Day and I want to make dinner extra special. It's her first and we've already made it memorable for all the wrong reasons. I still have Mother's Day gifts for her that aren't wrapped and we were at the hospital when flowers were supposed to be delivered so I missed them."

"Okay, William. I have an idea and I think you're going to like it."

* * *

Lizzie woke up feeling refreshed. She checked the time and her eyes widened when she saw that it was after four, surprised William let her sleep so long. She needed to find and thank him but she had to check on Eleanor first. She was surprised when she found Gigi in the nursery, leaning over the crib.

"What…what are you doing here?" Lizzie asked in confusion. Gigi turned her head at the noise and gave her a big smile before bringing a finger up to her lips.

"Hey. I just got Eleanor to sleep," Gigi whispered, walking over to her. She led Lizzie out of the nursery and swung the door closed, leaving it slightly ajar. "She's doing pretty well. She took more than half the last bottle and the last time William took her temperature, it was 99.8."

"That's great," Lizzie said, furrowing her brows. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh. I called earlier for Mother's Day and William told me everything that happened. I know how my brother stretches himself thin when one of us gets sick," Gigi explained, slowly walking down the hall. "So I rallied the troops to help out. I made William go get some sleep but he didn't want to wake you so he's sleeping downstairs. I've been taking care of Eleanor while the guys are working on dinner for you."

"The guys?" Lizzie repeated. They emerged from the hallway and she found Fitz and Brandon in the kitchen. There were ingredients spread all over the kitchen counter and the two of them were preparing different dishes.

"Hey, Mama D!" Fitz grinned. "Have a nice nap?"

"I did," Lizzie said.

"Did she eat more?" Brandon asked Gigi.

"Yep!" Gigi nodded. "And she finally just went down."

"Wait a minute. I feel like I'm still asleep and having a lucid dream," Lizzie said. "When did you guys get here?"

"About forty-five minutes ago," Gigi replied. "We came to lend a hand!"

"Yeah. We're making a damn delicious dinner for you and Darce," Fitz said. "And Brandon has something special planned for your dessert, too."

"It involves chocolate," Brandon smiled.

"You three came over just to watch Eleanor, make us dinner, and then leave?" Lizzie asked, trying to comprehend.

"Happy Mother's Day!" Brandon said.

"Family helps family in time of need," Fitz said with a smile. "I knew something was up on Friday when Darcy didn't come in. When Gigi called for some help, Brandon and I agreed immediately. From what she told us, the last few days couldn't have been easy."

"It really has been stressful," Lizzie admitted, sitting down at the kitchen counter.

"Besides, we'd like to think you'd do the same thing for any of us," Fitz said, reaching over and patting her arm.

"Thank you, Fitz," Lizzie said, her eyes shining with unshed tears. She got up from her seat and walked around the counter, giving him a hug. Then she hugged Gigi. "And thank you for setting this up, Gigi."

"It's my pleasure," Gigi said.

"And thank you for whatever chocolate dish you'll be making," Lizzie said, giving Brandon a hug. He laughed.

"Chocolate cures all," Brandon said. "Or at least bad weekends."

"We all know how Darce loves his anniversaries and holidays, especially since you came along. This is your day and we intend to make it as memorable as possible," Fitz told her as she sat back down. Gigi grabbed a knife and began cutting up some vegetables.

"I think it's working," Lizzie said, glancing around at the ingredients. "What are you making?"

"Just go sit down, relax, and wait for your dinner," Gigi said. "We promise it will be delicious."

"Sounds good to me!" Lizzie slid off the stool and headed for the couch in the living room.

* * *

Fitz and Gigi gave Lizzie a ten-minute warning for when dinner was going to be ready so she could go downstairs to wake William up. He looked so peaceful stretched out on the couch that she almost didn't want to disturb him. She sat on the edge of the couch and brushed her knuckles across his stubbled cheek, studying his face. William hadn't been taking care of himself in the past few days. He had faint stress lines on his forehead, light circles under his eyes, and he hadn't shaved in a couple days. There was more gray hair growing out in his beard than before. He still only had his patches of gray hair on his sides but Lizzie loved it all. His eyes opened while she was noticing his new details.

"Hey," William said gruffly, clearing his throat and pulling himself up into a sitting position. "Everything okay? How's Eleanor?"

"She's better. Her ears are still bothering her but her fever is nearly gone," Lizzie said. "Everything good, especially since the helpers arrived. Was it your idea?"

William shook his head. "Gigi's. I was too tired to argue. I don't think I could have trusted myself with any part of the oven today."

"I know what you mean. I feel like I could sleep for a couple more days," Lizzie confessed. "But what sleep I did get was really helpful. I'm glad they're here."

"Me too," William said. "What are they making? It smells delicious."

"Something with chicken. They wouldn't tell me," Lizzie shrugged. "It should be ready in ten minutes."

"Then that should be enough time to open your Mother's Day gift," William said, getting up from the couch. Lizzie followed him with her eyes as he disappeared into the wine storage room. He returned soon after with a bouquet of flowers in a blue glass vase and a wrapped box.

"Of all the places you hid my present," Lizzie said with a raised eyebrow.

"Well, you haven't been drinking much since you're breastfeeding. I thought it would work," William said with a proud look on his face as he put the vase down. "And it did."

"The flowers are beautiful," Lizzie said, leaning in to smell them. "Thank you."

Lizzie took the envelope from the box and opened the card that read 'Giant hugs from your tiny human' on the outside. The inside was filled with the sweetest words from William and she had to hold back tears. He signed it at the bottom and there were some strange markings below that.

"That's Eleanor's signature," William explained. "I put the pen in her hand and that's what I got out of her."

"Very cute," Lizzie chuckled, grabbing the box. She unwrapped it and pulled off the lid, finding a mug and large tin container next to it. She opened the tin container to find various bags of her favorite tea. Some of them were from stores in San Francisco but a few of them were more difficult to find and she appreciated the gift even more. She pulled out the mug and her face softened when she saw ' _Best Mom Ever_ ' and Eleanor's handprints in green paint framing it.

"I love this," Lizzie cooed. "And I can't believe you found some of these teas! I could swear at least one of these was discontinued in the U.S."

"Two of them are. Gigi was kind of enough to look for them while she was on her business trip. Thankfully, she found them in a tiny shop in Paris," William said. "She bought all five boxes of one and three of the other. This is just a sampling. The rest are now in the tea cabinet."

"Could I love you any more than I already do?" Lizzie said with a grateful smile. She put her gifts down and leaned in to kiss him. "Thank you. This day may have started out terribly but it's ending in a much better way."

"It is," William said, kissing her once more. "Should we go check on Eleanor before dinner is served?"

"She should be awake by now. I have to thank her for my gifts!" Lizzie said, getting up from the couch before holding out a hand to help him up.

"She'll like that. She had a bit too much fun helping Daddy with the mug," William said.

"Oh no!" Lizzie laughed. "What happened?"

"Let's just say that paint is not allowed in this house again until she's old enough to know what it is."

* * *

 _Saturday, May 25th_

It took nearly the whole week for Eleanor to bounce back to her old self. William and Lizzie both took Monday off so they could go to the doctor with her. They learned that she was responding well to the antibiotics and they should stock up on Pedialyte should she get sick and have trouble eating again. She had lost a few ounces from the whole ordeal but the doctor wasn't worried. William worked from home for the rest of the week to take care of her and used the opportunity to baby-proof the place by installing gates on the doorways and staircase, cushioning sharp corners of furniture, and putting child-proof locks drawers and cabinets.

Things returned to normal and they fell back into routine. Lizzie and William introduced Eleanor to solids with rice cereal, which was messy but funny at the same time. She had mastered sitting up. She could reach out for toys and support herself on all fours. Lizzie figured that she'd try and start crawling sooner rather than later with how determined she seemed.

On the last Saturday of the month, the three of them headed to Fitz and Brandon's new house for the monthly dinner. They were instructed to park in their garage, which could hold up to five cars. After years of scouring for a parking spot during their monthly dinners, it was definitely a treat. Fitz and Gigi greeted them as they parked.

"Welcome to House Williams!" Fitz greeted as they got out of their cars.

"Marathoning _Game of Thrones_ again?" Lizzie asked, unlatching Eleanor's car seat from the base.

"You know it. Now, who wants a tour?" Fitz asked. "We're all unpacked and ready to show off."

"I'll take this cutie patootie off your hands," Gigi offered, taking Eleanor from Lizzie. "I've already had my tour. We'll be in the kitchen when you're done."

"Thank you, Gigi," William said as she left the room.

"Follow me!" Fitz instructed. Fitz led them past the laundry room and into the hallway, showing them the wine cellar with a small tasting room. One wall was a floor-to-ceiling wine rack and it was only a quarter full with wine bottles. He passed their storage room and went up a small set of stairs, which led out into their backyard. By San Francisco standards, it was rather large and even had grass in one section of the yard. They had a stone patio for entertaining, furnished with outdoor chairs and a large couch, along with a wooden table in the middle. The whole backyard was gated and a set of stairs led them to the street. In the corner of the yard, there was a long stone step that held mounds of dirt.

"The plants were dead so we tore them out. Brandon is going to start a vegetable garden," Fitz explained. There were two sets of doors from the stone patio and one more set around the corner that led inside to the den. Just past the stairs on the left was a guest bedroom and bathroom, mostly unfurnished with the exception of a bed and bureau.

"We're going to keep this a bedroom but we're going to turn at least one of the others into an office," Fitz said, leading them into the living room.

The living room was incredibly spacious and had a large L-section couch that was placed in the nook of the living room. A couple of other chairs sat around the large rug that covered the wood floors and a coffee table sat in the middle of all the furniture. The chairs and couch faced towards the massive television against the wall. At the other end of the living room sat a small square table and four chairs.

Around the corner was the dining room, which had views of the street and the house next door. There was a long table that took up a lot of the space and could easily sit ten people. A love seat was placed under one of the windows and a long cabinet that held their best dishes and glasses was against the wall.

The kitchen had stone countertops and a state-of-the-art stainless steel stove range. They had a double oven, which delighted Brandon to no end, and the microwave was just above it. The sub-zero fridge matched the wood cabinets. There was a good amount of counter space that gave everybody a place to work. The windows over the large double sink gave the room lots of light during the day.

"Getting the grand tour?" Charlotte asked. She and Sam had arrived thirty minutes earlier and she was helping Brandon and Gigi in the kitchen.

"We sure are!" Lizzie said, giving her a hug hello. "Where's Sam and Eleanor?"

"He's taking her for a ride in the elevator," Charlotte said.

"Maybe we'll pass them on the way up," Fitz chuckled. "Come on. There's more to see!"

The second floor had two master bedrooms with gorgeous views and large bathrooms connected to each one. One of the bathrooms had a modern claw foot tub, glass shower, and double sink. The second master had a balcony as well as a working fireplace, which Fitz bragged about. There were two other smaller bedrooms that were basically empty except for some moving boxes. Two more bathrooms and one half-bath were spread around the second floor.

"We're…still deciding what to do with some of the rooms," Fitz said. "We ran out of furniture to fill this place."

There was a small ding as they headed towards the staircase and the elevator door slid open, revealing a smiling Eleanor and Sam.

"Hey! Having fun?" Lizzie asked, waving at him.

"She thinks it's hysterical," Sam said. "Are you going down?"

"I still have the roof to show them but we'll be back down soon enough," Fitz said.

"See you down there," Sam said, waving Eleanor's hand as the door closed again. Lizzie heard the distinct sound of her daughter's giggle floating through the doors and she couldn't hold back her own smile. She followed behind Fitz and William to the roof deck and was hit with an unusually warm breeze.

"And the best part of it all," Fitz said, waving his hand in a sweeping gesture. "The view! Isn't it amazing?"

"It's gorgeous," Lizzie said. The house gave them a clear view of the Bay and Alcatraz in front of them and downtown. Coit Tower and the Bay Bridge could easily be seen from the right side of the house. The rooftop itself had a huge BBQ and grill, LED illuminated glass-panel guardrails, and a gas-fueled fire pit. Lounging couches and a large chair surrounded the fire pit and a little table sat between them. There was a picnic table in one corner with a big collapsible blue and white umbrella.

"Want to see the best part?" Fitz asked, pulling out his phone and typing away. He brought them over to an area behind the BBQ and waited a minute before they heard a low hum and whir. Once it stopped, he opened a door and three glasses of water sat on a tray.

"Is that a dumb-waiter?" William laughed.

"Sure is," Fitz said, handing them each a glass. "This goes right down to the kitchen. Now we can eat out here whenever we want without having to carry it up three floors."

"This place has everything!" Lizzie said. "Didn't you mention this place has Smart features?"

"We're installing the system this week. It should control the lights and everything. This really is a house of convenience," Fitz said. "I don't think we're ever going to move again."

"I wouldn't want to with a beautiful place like this!" Lizzie said. "We're going to have lots of BBQs this summer, right?"

"You got it, Lizzie D.!" Fitz nodded. His phone beeped and he checked it. "We should get back down. I asked Lydia to text when they got to the garage."

"Lydia and Adam are here?" Lizzie asked, glancing over the rail to see Adam's car. She quickly followed as Fitz led them back down the stairs.

"The next tour starts in one minute!"

* * *

After dinner and dessert, Lizzie took advantage of the rooftop and nice weather when Eleanor started getting fussy about being hungry. She sat on one of the lounging couches and took in the view while she nursed her daughter.

"Am I interrupting anything?"

Lizzie glanced back to see Gigi and she shook her head, adjusting her breastfeeding scarf to cover herself a little more.

"Nope. She's just eating. Come join me," Lizzie said. "Where are the others?"

"William and Brandon are in the wine room being wine snobs while Adam and Sam try to keep up, Lydia and Charlotte are dealing with their food comas in the living room, and Fitz was putting dishes away. I'm sure he'll be up soon," Gigi said, sitting down next to her. "It's a really nice night out."

"Right? I don't even need a jacket for once," Lizzie said. "Helps that they have such a wonderful view. I'd probably spend all my time up here."

"You have a great view too!" Gigi pointed out. "And a number of balconies."

"I'd feel more comfortable letting Eleanor wander around here where we're thirty feet above ground instead of hundreds of feet off the ground," Lizzie said.

"Fair enough," Gigi shrugged. "It's really a lovely house. They seem so happy to have moved."

A comfortable silence fell between them. The street noise was minimal from where they were but the fog horn could easily be heard. Soon, they heard the sound of footsteps and they both turned their heads to see Fitz heading towards them.

"Hello, ladies. I thought I'd find somebody up here," Fitz said, taking a seat next to Gigi. "I sort of wish it was cooler so I could make use of this fireplace."

"I'm sure you'll get plenty of use out of it soon enough," Lizzie told him.

"So, what are we talking about? What's the gossip? Any developments with the British babe?" Fitz asked, nudging Gigi.

"Fitz! I don't know what you're talking about," Gigi said, feigning innocence.

"You've been back from your trip awhile and I remember you said you'd give him a chance," Lizzie said, adding fuel to the fire.

"Okay!" Gigi snapped, rolling her eyes. "You two are the worst."

"You love us," Fitz said, nudging her with his elbow. Gigi hit him back and they started batting at each other like children. They broke out into laughter and continued their hitting. Lizzie was preoccupied with Eleanor, who had finished nursing and was squirming under the cover. She made quick work of adjusting her clothes before taking off the cover and resting Eleanor against her, patting her back to burp her.

"Alright, kids! That's enough," Lizzie said, finally getting control of them. "I swear you're worse than the twins sometimes."

"Blame Fitz," Gigi said.

"Nope. You're just trying to change the subject," Fitz said.

"So you finally say yes to Naveen asking you out?"

"No," Gigi shook her head. " _I_ asked _him_ out."

"Why the sudden change?" Lizzie asked. "I love it but I'm curious since you were so hesitant before."

"You know what? I thought about it while I was on my business trip. I like him and he likes me so why not?" Gigi said. "When I got back, I asked him if he was still interested in a tour of the city and he said yes. We went out last Saturday."

" _Last_ week!" Fitz exclaimed in surprise. "I feel personally offended you're only telling me about this now."

"Don't give her a hard time or we won't get the details!" Lizzie scolded. She handed her daughter over to Fitz's waiting arms.

Gigi rolled her eyes. "I asked him out, he said yes, and we made plans to spend the day going around the city last Saturday. I thought I'd take him to some of the same spots William and I took you on your tour and then mix it up with some of the hidden spots that only locals really know about."

Eleanor interrupted her with a loud squeal, waving her arms around as Fitz bounced her on his knee. They all laughed and Gigi bopped her on the nose, making her smile.

"So, I picked him up in the morning and he had made a big thermos of English tea for the day for us. Said I need to be introduced to some proper tea," Gigi said. "I took him to some of the bigger tourist spots, like Coit Tower and Lombard Street. We walked _down_ it this time. We went to Chinatown where we checked out way too many stores upon his insistence. He made it fun by having us pretend we were tourists. We ended up buying cute little souvenirs to put on our desks."

"Is that where the little dragon came from?" Fitz asked.

She nodded. "I treated him to lunch and then we made our way to Fisherman's Wharf where we acted like tourists again. It's actually a lot of fun. Makes me love this city even more," Gigi said. "I set up a behind-the-scenes tour of the aquarium since it was his first time and we fed the sharks. Once Eleanor is older, you need to bring her."

"We're going to take her all over the city," Lizzie said, brushing her fingers through her daughter's hair. "You're going to love it so much, Eleanor!"

"Maybe the whole group could tag along," Fitz suggested. "We could make a day out of being tourists while Eleanor discovers the greatness of this city."

"That sounds like a great plan. When she gets more mobile," Lizzie said. "Which will probably be way too soon."

"The story's not over," Fitz said, turning his attention back to Gigi. "Keep going, please."

"Okay so after the aquarium, we walked all up and down the wharf. We got some hot chocolate at Ghirardelli Square, we checked out the seals, and we window-shopped," Gigi said. "He even suggested we go to Alcatraz but they were sold out so we'll go another time."

"Second date secured!"

"Actually, we're going to the movies on Thursday so…" Gigi said, trailed off.

"Oh really?" Lizzie perked up. "I like where this is heading."

"Me too," Gigi admitted. "And he treated me to dinner after all of it. It was a much quieter place and it was nice to sit and talk. We made plans for the movies this week and we called it a night after dinner."

"And?" Fitz asked, leaning forward a little.

"And I dropped him off at his place," Gigi said.

"Aaaand?" Lizzie repeated.

"And he's a really good kisser," Gigi said, blushing as she tucked some hair behind her ear.

"I knew it!" Fitz said, pumping his fist in the air. "That British babe is good for something."

"Calm down. We're trying to be casual about this. I'm just saying that he's good company and kisses well."

"Maybe you're trying to be casual but I don't think Naveen knows what the word means since he's joined you for lunch at least twice in the past week," Fitz said.

"It's not like we were alone. Other people were at the table," Gigi said defensively. "Just…don't grill him."

"You've got it, Gigi D.," Fitz promised. "But I think he'd fit right in with our core group."

"Oh, he totally would," Lizzie said. "William already likes him in the professional sense. I'm sure he'd get along with him personally too."

"It's a little soon for that," Gigi said. "I'm closing this topic. Can we talk about something else? When are you and William going to go on your weekend getaway?"

"Probably July. We'll keep you in the know since Eleanor will need looking after that weekend," Lizzie said. "I don't want to miss any more work right now because we're going to be casting for our Scholastic book project over the next week or so."

"I've been reading that book! It's so juicy," Fitz said. "I kind of love Nate even though we shouldn't be rooting for the bad boy."

"Don't say anymore! I barely started!" Gigi cried. "Don't ruin it for me!"

"Okay, no more book talk," Lizzie laughed, taking Eleanor from Fitz's lap and standing up. "I think we should head back downstairs. We need to get going because this little one still needs her bath and a bed time story."

"A bath _and_ a bed time story? Spoiled, Eleanor!"

"Yeah. We just started a book of Mother Goose rhymes and she gets such a kick out of it," Lizzie said, thanking Fitz as he held the door open. "Much better than Anna Karenina, which is what William suggested."

"What!" Gigi cackled. "He had to be joking."

"He was," Lizzie said. "But she loves us reading to her. William even does the voices with me."

"I'm going to need video graphic evidence of that ASAP, Lizzie D. I am not kidding," Fitz demanded.

Lizzie flashed a mischievous grin.

"I have my ways. You'll see it soon enough."

* * *

Sam and Adam had long since given up on the wine conversations of William and Brandon and had headed back upstairs to find their partners, leaving the two of them in the wine room. William was checking out a bottle of pinot noir that Brandon had recently acquired from a vineyard in Oregon.

"This one is nice," William commended him, sliding the bottle back into its rack. "You guys should take a trip to Monterey to fill out these racks. We found some of our favorite wines there when Lizzie surprised me for my thirtieth birthday. We'll have to be on the lookout for some wines when we go to Napa."

"That would be nice. Gigi just gave me a bottle from Paris," Brandon said, pulling out the bottle. "Hermitage la Chapelle 1961."

William whistled. "Good find! You'll never end up drinking it though."

"I know," Brandon laughed, returning the bottle to its spot. "It's too valuable. Thankfully, she brought a cheaper bottle from the same vineyard so we can enjoy that."

"It's nice that you have so much space for your wines now."

"It really is. This place is exactly the sort of place I've wanted for years," Brandon said. "In a way, it reminds me of my childhood home."

"You had an elevator and barbeque on the roof?" William asked cheekily.

"Ha ha," Brandon said. "We were in the suburbs so it was spacious. All the bedrooms were upstairs, we had a yard, and there was space between each house. When I moved here, I never dreamed I'd be living in a house like this, or that my kids would be able to grow up in this kind of house."

"It's definitely the kind of house you can see yourself raising kids in," William said.

"It is," Brandon said. "Did Fitz tell you the latest? We may have found our surrogate."

"Brandon!" William said, perking up. "That's great news!"

"It's not set in stone but we love everything about her. She's exactly the type of person we'd want carrying our child," Brandon said. "We met her at the clinic once but we've made arrangements to meet again next Saturday."

"Maybe by this time next year, you'll be parents," William mused.

"That…would be something," Brandon exhaled. "There's still so much to do. If she agrees, we all have to go through a medical screening and get all the legalities of it in order. Then we're on our way."

"Are you still planning to tell the rest of the group soon?"

"If everything's on track by the next monthly get-together, they'll know," Brandon said. "It depends on how successful the IVF process is before we announce anything else. Fitz and I talked about it and—"

The two of them paused as they heard voices approaching and turned their heads. Lizzie walked into the room with Eleanor on her hip and William smiled.

"Hi there," William said. "Haven't seen you in a while."

"You've been down here nerding out about wine forever," Lizzie teased. "But we should get going. It's getting late for Eleanor and she still has her whole nightly routine to get through," Lizzie said.

"We have more of Mother Goose to read," William said, reaching out and brushing his fingers across the baby's cheek. "I'll be there in a minute. Just wanted to finish up talking to Brandon."

"Okay. Don't be too long," Lizzie said, heading out of the room again. The two men waited until they heard the footsteps on the stairs before talking again.

"You and Fitz talked?" William offered, wanting Brandon to continue.

"We decided he's going to be the donor this time," Brandon finished. "You know…start with the crazy Williams genes for the first kid."

"It would definitely prepare you for the next kid with your easygoing genes," William said. "I'm really thrilled for the both of you."

"We are too. It's scary but exciting," Brandon said.

"That's the gist of becoming a parent right there," William said. "If all goes according to plan, maybe you can get another bedroom in this house occupied soon."

Brandon smiled widely. "That's the hope right there."

* * *

 _Notes: Another chapter down! I'll be posting pictures of Fitz and Brandon's place over on the blog as an extra and there may be one or two other extras shared as well._

 _Thanks to Sarah for her continual editing help. She's the reason I haven't given up on this story yet. That and knowing there'd be at least a couple readers saddened by an abandoned story. :)_


	26. Recharging

_Summary: William and Lizzie head out on a weekend getaway for some much-needed alone time. Meanwhile, there are lots of big developments for their little group._

* * *

 _Notes:_ _Another chapter finished and one step closer to getting to the end! Thank you so much for the kind comments in the last chapter, reminding me that you're still there and reading this fic. It means a lot to me._

 _Hope you enjoy this chapter! :)_

* * *

 _Thursday, June 6th_

It was no surprise to Lizzie and William, overachievers that they were, that their seven-month-old daughter was following in their footsteps and tackling two milestones at once. For the past two weeks, Eleanor had been trying her hardest to try crawl but all she had managed to do so far was get on all four and stay stationary. On top of that, she began cutting her first tooth. For the past couple days, she was drooling everywhere and quickly getting in the habit of chewing on anything she could get her hands on, including William's ties.

"Maybe I should bring an extra one to work," William said, gently prying his tie from her hands before she could stuff it in her mouth.

"Wouldn't be a bad idea," Lizzie said, handing Eleanor a teething ring from the freezer. It was the only thing that stopped her from chewing on clothes and her own fingers. Then she took her from William's arms and put her in her car seat, buckling the straps.

"What is with the Darcy ladies and their fascination with my ties?" William asked jokingly.

"Eleanor's is to ease the pain of teething. Mine? Well, you know mine," Lizzie said playfully, reaching out and pulling him in closer. She licked her lips enticingly. "You're just so irresistible in them."

"Tease," William murmured, gripping her waist.

"Contain yourself, Mr. Darcy," Lizzie smirked. "Not in front of the tiny human."

"You are riling me up unjustly before work."

"It's too easy," Lizzie said. "Sorry. But not really."

"How will you make it up to me?"

"How about this tie will be the only item of clothing one of us will be wearing at the end of the night?" Lizzie said. She closed the distance between them and pressed her lips against his. She pulled away before he could deepen it and he growled. Lizzie let go of his tie and smoothed it down with her hand while he straightened up.

"Anyway," William cleared his throat. "It's good that our daughter is currently unaware of what we're discussing. It's quite inappropriate."

"And we should be getting to work. I put her other teething rings in the diaper bag for the daycare ladies so she won't keep chewing on their shoulders."

"They'll be grateful. Be glad she hasn't done that to you yet. It's an odd sensation," William said, grabbing both his shoulder bag and the diaper bag.

"Try breastfeeding," Lizzie retorted.

"Touché," William said.

Lizzie leaned over and peppered Eleanor's face with kisses. Her daughter smiled and spit dribbled down her chin. "Such a drool bucket. When you finally start crawling, you're going to leave a trail of slobber in your wake!"

"What an image." William wiped her chin clean and then grabbed the car seat from the counter. "The snail and I shall be heading off to work now."

Lizzie laughed. "Have a good day!"

"Good luck at your breakfast meeting," William said, kissing her goodbye. "I'll see you tonight."

* * *

By the weekend, Eleanor was sporting two new bottom front teeth. She still struggled with crawling but Lizzie and William were amused watching her try. She varied between wiggling her lower body and rocking back and forth but she couldn't get a handle on moving her limbs at the same time. They spent a fair amount of time on the floor with her, dangling toys just out of reach and making her giggle. But she was determined to get moving on her own without her parents' help. Just before bath time on Sunday night, she managed to push herself and scoot backwards a couple feet. William declared it a success of sorts and they were all happy with her progress. They knew she'd be moving forward soon enough.

* * *

 _Sunday, June 16th_

As William began to wake up, he reached out for Lizzie only to find her side of the bed empty. The sheets were not yet cool so she couldn't have been gone long. He would have liked her to stay in bed with him a little longer but he was sure she was tending to Eleanor. He glanced at the bedside clock and saw that it was after eight am, a late start for anyone in this house. Lizzie must have let him sleep in. He stretched his limbs and sat up in bed, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes and running his hands through his hair.

Just as he was about to get up to look for his family, he heard his new favorite sound slowly approaching the bedroom: the gentle slap of baby's hands on their wood floors. She had only figured out moving forward within the last few days so she was still getting the hang of it and was a bit wobbly as she moved. Either way, she was officially mobile and quite happy to be. She didn't even mind that Lizzie or William was usually right on her tail. As expected, his bright-eyed daughter came slowly crawling in and she stopped once she was inside, babbling nonsensically. She sat down and he figured she needed a little encouragement. He slid out of bed and onto the floor, sitting on his knees.

"Are you coming to see me, sweetheart? Are you coming to wake Daddy?" William asked warmly, holding out his arms. She looked at him and broke out into a big smile, showing off her two brand new teeth. She got back on all fours and unsteadily crawled over to him, cooing with excitement. Lizzie poked her head inside to check on her progress and William saw her smile out of the corner of his eye. "That's it. Just a little further!"

A couple more slaps of her hands on the wood floor and Eleanor made it to him, squealing when he picked her up and showered her face with kisses. He beamed when he noticed her onesie said 'Daddy's Sweetheart' on the front.

"Good morning," Lizzie said, leaning against the doorframe. "Happy Father's Day!"

"Good morning to you too!" William said, getting up from the floor and adjusting Eleanor in his arms. "I'd say this is a great way to start the day."

"We were making breakfast and she was antsy to see Daddy," Lizzie explained. "I think that's the fastest she's crawled yet."

"She's doing great job. Aren't you, Ellie? You're becoming a crawling expert," William said and she babbled as if she were trying to answer him. "Not quite clear enough for me to understand. Want to try something easier? Can you say 'dada'? Come on. Say 'dada' for me."

"I see you trying to be her first word. Her first word is going to be 'mama,'" Lizzie said, determination in her eyes as he walked towards her. She leaned in to Eleanor and repeated the word a few times. Their daughter simply jammed her hand in her mouth, looking between the two of them. "I think her top front teeth are starting to come in. She's been doing that since last night."

"Are you teething again? Do you want your teething ring?" William asked, pulling her hand from her mouth. He let go of her hand and she promptly stuck it back in her mouth.

"Okay. Let's go to the kitchen. She's getting her teething ring and you're getting a very delicious breakfast. Pancakes or waffles?" Lizzie asked.

"Both sound enticing," William said, following her down the hall. "Is there bacon or eggs involved in this breakfast?"

"Today is your day. You get anything you want," Lizzie said. "And we'll do whatever you'd like."

"As long as you two are with me, I'm a happy man."

* * *

After breakfast, Eleanor and Lizzie joined William in doing some yoga exercises. He kept up with his daily routine while Lizzie did it as often as she could. Having a newly mobile baby made for an amusing session as she tried to mimic some of their positions and crawl around their legs. Yoga eventually turned into a play session where William found himself on his hands and knees, going around the room and crawling after his daughter.

He was gifted with beautiful weather on his first Father's Day and didn't want to waste it. Eleanor was too little to join him on his bicycle just yet so he and Lizzie decided that a hike would be the next best thing. They got dressed for the sunny weather, stuffed a bag with extra supplies for Eleanor, and packed a picnic lunch. They drove to Land's End, a scenic hike near the beach and Golden Gate Bridge. William wore Eleanor on his back in a baby backpack carrier and Lizzie carried everything else.

They spent the morning leisurely hiking and exploring the area, taking any and every opportunity to take pictures of the scenery and each other. There were other families with the same idea of taking advantage of the weather but the trail wasn't packed. They ate lunch at the Sutro Baths before making their way back. By the time they made it back to the car, Eleanor had fallen asleep and surprisingly stayed asleep from the jostling of getting her out of the backpack and into her car seat.

Eleanor napped for part of the afternoon, giving Lizzie and William some time with each other. They watched a movie together and spent spending most of it talking, kissing, and cuddling. Once the baby woke up, Lizzie and William played with her and had their weekly calls with Lizzie's parents and the Lees. Their friends and other family called to wish him a happy Father's Day. William wanted to have dinner at home and Lizzie prepared some of his favorite dishes, surprising him with a small cake that had 'Happy Father's Day' in blue icing. Before Eleanor's bath, Lizzie gifted him with a few presents. From Eleanor, there was a black and white polka dot tie and a navy blue button-down shirt that she 'picked,' and Lizzie gave him a black mug that said 'Best. Daddy. Ever.' in soft blue writing on it.

"There's more but that's for later," Lizzie said, waggling her eyebrows. William laughed.

"Looking forward to it," William said, hanging the tie around his neck. "Love the tie."

"She _actually_ picked it," Lizzie said pointedly. "I was going through the men's section and she grabbed it off the counter. I didn't even realize it until I got to the register."

"Good job, sweetheart," William said, leaning over and bopping her on the nose. She brightened and smiled at him. "You've got great taste."

"She gets it from her daddy," Lizzie said playfully. "And I thought you'd enjoy a mug to match mine. We already have those Mr. and Mrs. mugs. Why not parental mugs? I remembered what you said about paint so it may not have the flair that mine has."

"I love it…" William trailed off, looking down at it.

"What are you thinking?" Lizzie asked after a few moments, reaching and laying a hand on his.

"My mom had a mug…the exact same color of this writing. She used it _every_ day for her coffee and it was the one part of her morning where she took her time. I would watch her make it from start to finish," William said, looking up at her with a fond expression. "She'd set up the coffee pot, take the mug out of the cupboard, and stand there until it was ready. She always hummed under her breath and would drum her fingers against the counter. When it was ready, she'd pour coffee into that mug, add her cream and sugar, and sit down across from me at the table. She'd take that first sip and she always had this serene expression on her face afterwards. Then she'd put the mug down and smile at me. It was the most comforting smile."

"Every day?"

"From when I was a young child," William said, his brows furrowing. "On my first day of high school, she slid a matching mug across the table and said 'you're going to need this.' Then it became our ritual until I went off to college. I…can't believe I forgot about that."

"The littlest things trigger a memory," Lizzie said. "And it sounds like a great one."

William exhaled. "Thank you for this."

"You're welcome," Lizzie said, leaning in to kiss him softly on the lips.

As she pulled away, he smiled at her and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. He noticed the time and turned his attention to Eleanor. He stood up and picked up from her swing seat. "I think it's time we give her a bath and get her ready for bed."

"Are you sure you wouldn't like a break for one night?"

"A break?"

"Yeah. You could relax tonight," Lizzie said. "I'll take care of her bath and story and putting her down. You're always getting splashed and I thought you'd like to stay dry for one night."

"And miss seeing the joy she gets from doing it? Or her struggling to stay awake because she's enjoying the story so much? Or how peaceful she looks when she's finally given in and fallen asleep? No, I'm coming."

Lizzie was beaming at his words. "Just thought I'd ask."

* * *

 _Saturday, June 22nd_

Gigi was hosting the monthly dinner for June but it was a smaller crew than they'd had in a while. Charlotte and Brandon were both out of town on business, Sam had an emergency session with a patient, and Adam was working.

Dinner was enjoyable as always and the topic of conversation was mainly surprise over Eleanor's development since the last dinner. She now had her top two front teeth as well as her bottom and Fitz and Gigi were going all out to make her laugh and show off the teeth. It was rarely a difficult task to entertain Eleanor since she loved everybody in the room. While they entertained her, William cleaned up, and Lydia stole Lizzie so she could talk to her.

"I still can't believe she can crawl now!" Lydia said. They went upstairs to the sitting area that gave them a view of downstairs so Lizzie could check on Eleanor.

"Yeah. The baby gates really come in handy. She loves that she can explore on her own now," Lizzie said, glancing over the balcony. Fitz had just put Eleanor down on the floor and she took off immediately. "Keep her away from the plugs!"

"We've got our eye on her, Mama D!" Fitz shouted from below. Lizzie and Lydia watched for a moment more before they took a seat.

"So, can I ask you for advice?" Lydia asked.

"Of course."

Lydia smiled. "So, don't get all excited over this or anything because nothing's definite, but Adam and I have been thinking about moving in together."

"Well…that's good, right? You've been together for what? A year?" Lizzie asked.

"Yeah," Lydia confirmed. "There's just a lot that I keep thinking about, you know? Is it too soon to move in together? Would things change between us if that happens? If we decide to move in, do I move in with him, does he move in with me, or do we find a brand-new place together? There's so much to think about."

"I get it," Lizzie said, putting a hand on hers. "It's a big step."

"It is! I seriously don't want to mess this up," Lydia said. "Like…I really like him. I mean, I love him but I also really like him." She looked at her grinning sister. "Stop with that smile!"

"I'm sorry!" Lizzie said, pressing her lips together. "I think that's the first time I heard you say that. I figured you did because of how you act around each other and the fact that you're happier than I've ever seen you, but I can't help but be happy for my little sister."

"Okay, fine. Your little sis is totes in love with her boyfriend," Lydia said, her cheeks pinking up. Lizzie snickered and squeezed her hand. "I'm still dealing with this dilemma though. You don't think it's too soon?"

"There's no timeline for relationships. As you said, you've been taking it slowly. If you feel ready then you're ready," Lizzie said. "I moved in with William before we even reached our six-month anniversary."

"And what made you decide to move in with him?"

"For one, I spent more time at his place than my own. When I would go to my apartment, he'd be right there with me. It made sense to us," Lizzie said. "The thought of coming home to him and have it be my home as well made me overwhelmingly happy. Plus, it was really hard sleeping without him. We got so used to each other. We still have the hardest time sleeping when one of us is out of town."

"Okay, that's enough. Don't go into any more details," Lydia said, making a face.

"You asked!" Lizzie laughed. "The simplest way to figure it out is to ask yourself how often you stay at each other's places."

"Well…" Lydia frowned, thinking about it. "On my days off, he goes home to his place because he doesn't want to wake me at one am when he comes in."

"And you usually work five to six days a week, right?" Lizzie asked and she nodded. "Then you're practically living together already."

"Huh," Lydia said, realization on her face. "I guess we are."

"Now answer your own question," Lizzie said. "Do you want to live with him?"

"I do," Lydia said with confidence. They turned at the sound of footsteps and Gigi appeared.

"I was just wondering what you two were up to," Gigi said.

"Join! Lizzie was helping me decide on something and maybe you could help with the next part," Lydia said. Gigi perked up and rushed over, sitting next to Lizzie on the little sofa.

"I do love to help," Gigi said, earning a playful nudge from Lizzie. "Catch me up."

"Lydia and Adam are adorable and likely moving in together," Lizzie said.

"Oh my god!" Gigi squealed.

"Everything okay up there?" William shouted from below. Lizzie looked down to see him and Fitz with Eleanor crawling between them.

"We're fine. Just indulging in girl talk," Lizzie said, leaning on the balcony.

"Carry on then," he said with a smile. She watched the three of them for a moment longer before sitting back down.

"Sorry," Gigi said with a sheepish look. "That's pretty awesome though."

"Nothing's _actually_ been decided but we've been talking about it lately," Lydia said. "The one thing we're stuck on is who moves in with who or do we move into an entirely new place?"

"Um, duh. Just keep subletting from me! Isn't it bigger and nicer that Adam's? And you've seriously made it your own," Gigi said.

"Are you sure? I know you're charging me way less than you should be," Lydia said. "Rent is really high in that area."

"Lyds, I'm well aware. Rent in this city is ridiculous and I wouldn't dare make you pay something you can't even afford. We own the place so we can charge whatever we damn well please," Gigi said. "Besides, you're family. You can stay there forever if you wanted."

"I don't think I'd go _that_ far," Lydia said. "But you're really sure? Adam tends to spend the night more at my place than I do at his."

"Stay. William would say the exact same thing," Gigi assured her. "Don't go through the hassle of looking for a new place and settling on some crappy apartment further away from all of us."

"Yeah. William and I love that you're only ten minutes away," Lizzie spoke up. "I doubt it will be very hard to convince Adam to move with you."

"Now I actually have to talk to Adam about all this," Lydia said.

"You'll be fine," Lizzie said confidently. "I'm really happy things are working out with you two."

"Me too," Lydia said. "Now, I want the scoop on Naveen, Gigi."

"We've had a couple dates—"

"Eleanor, no!" William's stern voice floated up the stairs, interrupting her. Eleanor's cry pierced the air quickly after and Lizzie leapt out of her chair, looking worried.

"What's wrong?" Lizzie asked, seeing him with Eleanor in his arms coming up the stairs. Fitz was standing at the bottom, covering his mouth and trying not to laugh.

"Oh, nothing. I'm just the worst father ever for not letting her climb the stairs," William said with a sigh, reaching her. "She knew you were up here."

"Oh, baby girl. No stairs by yourself," Lizzie said softly, wiping away a few of her tears. Eleanor sniffled and dropped her head to William's shoulder, calming down. "I'll be right down. It's getting late for her anyway. She's obviously tired."

"I'll get ready," William nodded. He spoke to Eleanor in soothing tones as he went back down the stairs.

Lizzie turned back to the girls and pointed at Gigi as she walked to her. "You're not off the hook with your own update. I want to hear everything."

"I'll call you tomorrow," Gigi promised, giving her a hug goodbye.

Lizzie hugged Lydia. "Remember that I'm around whenever you want to talk. Things are going to be fine."

"Thanks, sis," Lydia smiled. "See you on the Fourth!"

"You better be there!" Lizzie exclaimed. "Fitz and Brandon now have the best view for fireworks! And it's Eleanor's first."

"Wouldn't miss it for the world."

* * *

 _Thursday, July 4th_

While Lizzie and William had never done much on the Fourth of July, this year, they wanted Eleanor to experience what the city had to offer. In the morning, they decked Eleanor out in red, white, and blue outfit with a little red headband to tame her wild hair. They took her to see a local parade and she cooed and waved her arms around at the performers and floats that passed by.

Eleanor had a nap while Lizzie and William ate lunch and then the three of them headed to Stern Grove Park to meet with Fitz and Brandon for a free concert by the San Francisco Orchestra. They spread out two blankets and had some drinks and snacks, along with toys for Eleanor. She was enraptured with the music for some time but after a while, she wanted to play. The four of them traded off on occupying her the rest of the concert, playing games with her and keeping an eye on her as she crawled around.

The Darcy family returned home for a few hours to unwind. Lizzie kept up the tradition of watching _Independence Day_ even though both William and Eleanor slept through most of it.

Once the sleeping beauties woke back up, Eleanor nursed and had an early bath before Lizzie changed her into a white onesie that had the words 'Miss Independent' on the front with a firecracker above it. It was matched with little red shorts, white booties and a blue-knitted beanie with white stars all around it. When they were all ready to go, they headed over to Fitz and Brandon's, baby and dessert in tow.

"Welcome to the best party in the city!" Fitz greeted them in the garage.

"Always the humble one," Lizzie joked, getting Eleanor out of her car seat.

"Look who's ready to party! Come here, Sunshine!" Fitz taking her from Lizzie. He began walking out of the garage and kept talking to Eleanor. "You're the prettiest one here!"

William chuckled, slinging the baby bag over his shoulder and closing the back door of the car. He walked up to Lizzie and put an arm around her waist, kissing her temple. "With the exception of you, of course."

"Aww, you're pretty too," Lizzie said playfully, bumping his hip with hers.

The entire group was able to make the party so the atmosphere was fun and relaxing. Brandon manned the grill with Sam and William helping out; Lydia, Charlotte, and Adam were playing with Eleanor while Fitz and Lizzie were hearing about Gigi's latest outing with Naveen.

"You should have brought him over tonight!" Fitz said. "We've got tons of food and he's welcome."

"This is more family and close friends," Gigi shrugged. "Somebody from his department had an extra ticket on the Fourth of July cruise and you know how quickly those sell out."

"Maybe next year," Lizzie suggested hopefully.

"Uh huh," Gigi said with a pointed look. "Since this is his first American Fourth of July, I took him to Pier 39. It was ridiculously crowded but he wanted to see all the temporary exhibits and try all the staple food for today. It was pretty cute."

"I'm surprised you willingly went there on a holiday!" Fitz said. "But he's worth it. I can tell. You guys missed out on the concert though."

"We wanted to go but traffic getting away from the pier was a nightmare," Gigi said.

As dinner drew to an end, Brandon clinked on his glass to get everybody's attention and then he and Fitz stood up.

"First of all, we're so pleased that all of you could make it tonight. Now that we have the best seats around for fireworks, Fitz and I are hoping this will be the place you'll want to spent every Fourth," Brandon said.

"Thank you for your generosity," William said.

"You're welcome, Darce," Fitz said before sharing a glance with Brandon. "Now, we've got some news we want to share with all of you."

"We had a few reasons we wanted to move to a bigger place," Brandon began.

"You're getting a dog!" Lydia blurted out. "No, wait, a cat!"

"No pets just yet, Little B. But…" Fitz stopped, looking at Brandon.

'Go ahead and do the honors," Brandon said, a hint of tenderness in his voice.

"Well, for the past few months, we've been working on expanding this family," Fitz said. "We finally found a surrogate who has agreed to carry a baby for us. We have no actual baby news yet but we're hoping by this time next year, we'll be a family of three!"

There was a moment of stunned silence before a very distinct scream of delight came from the end of the table. Gigi jumped up and knocked over her glass of wine, not caring in the slightest. Her reaction reached the rest of the table and everybody began to react at once.

"Fitz! Fitz! Oh my god! I'm going to be an aunt again!" Gigi squealed.

"Hold your horses. There's no actual baby yet!" Fitz reiterated.

"Even still! This is the greatest news!" Gigi said. "Eleanor's going to have a cousin!"

"I called it!" Lydia yelled, looking at an astonished Lizzie and Charlotte. They laughed together before jumping up from the table to congratulate Fitz and Brandon.

"I can't believe it!" Lizzie said, giving Fitz a hug. "I'm so _so_ happy for you, Fitz. You're both going to make great dads."

"I sure hope so!" Fitz said. Gigi attacked Fitz with a side hug and made him laugh.

"You know you're more than welcome to come over for practice any time. Ellie adores you."

"And I adore her," Fitz said happily. "Brandon and I have been talking about this for a long time. You better believe I've been taking mental notes when babysitting her."

"Could we throw you a baby shower?" Lydia asked.

The questions continued on and Fitz was surrounded as he answered what he could. Brandon and William took advantage of it and talked over near the railing.

"So everything is actually working out, huh?" William asked Brandon, rubbing Eleanor's back. She was a little overwhelmed by all the noise and he was keeping her calm.

"It feels great to have everybody knows now," Brandon said, watching Fitz animatedly talk to everybody else.

"It's great that you've finally found a surrogate!"

"We absolutely adore Patty. She's on board with all of our requests and we've been to all the doctor visits, went to a counseling session, and everything else under the sun." Brandon smiled. "We'll be doing our first round of IVF near the end of the month. It still seems surreal that we're actually going to go through with this."

"It's going to be even more surreal the first time you seem that baby on the sonogram," William said. "But it took me all the way until the first time I held her that it actually felt real. Lizzie and I have been grateful for the help you've given us and we'll do whatever we can when your time comes."

"Thank you, William," Brandon said, seeing Gigi getting excited again. "I think Fitz needs some help, don't you think?"

"We'll get Eleanor to help settle my sister down," William joked.

Just before 9:30 pm, the lights went off around the bay and Fitz and Brandon followed suit. Lizzie and William were worried that Eleanor would get scared of the fireworks so they bought ear protectors and covered up her ears right before they started. She was less than interested in what was going on before her and she fell asleep in Lizzie's arms halfway through. She and William chose to leave before the end of the show, wanting to beat the inevitable traffic and get their snoozing daughter to bed. They quietly said their goodbyes and left the group to enjoy the rest of their night.

* * *

 _Friday, July 12th_

Lizzie and William were finally taking their trip to Napa and planned to extend their weekend getaway from two to three days. While they had given their offices the previous Friday the day off for the holiday, they went into work that day to make up for the time they'd take off this week. Lizzie and William had made arrangements with Lydia and Gigi to watch Eleanor and they made sure they were stocked up on baby supplies, including breastmilk and diapers. Lydia was watching Eleanor on Friday while Gigi worked, and then Gigi would have her the rest of the weekend.

While both sisters had both done their share of babysitting, they were still given lectures making sure to stick to schedules and to check in often. This was Lizzie and William's first real vacation since Eleanor was born and they hadn't both been away from her for more than twenty-four hours before. Once Lydia had arrived and William had packed up the car, he and Lizzie spent a while saying goodbye. Multiple hugs and kisses and promises they would call followed. It wasn't until they started heading for the door that Eleanor reached out for them and her eyes began to swim with tears.

"Oh, you're making it so hard, baby girl," Lizzie said sympathetically, taking her from Lydia's arms. She gave her a shower of kisses and hugged her tight. "We won't be gone forever. We'll miss you too."

"It will be okay, sweetheart," William said, brushing a tear from her cheek. "Aunt Lydia and Aunt Gigi will be with you all weekend. You'll see us every day."

Lydia disappeared to give them another moment to keep her calm, finding it hard to leave. When she returned, she brought Eleanor's favorite toy and she reached out for it. Lizzie handed Eleanor over once more and took advantage of her distraction by slipping out the door. While they waited for the elevator, Lizzie wrung her hands and kept glancing back at the door. William grabbed one hand and squeezed it. She sighed and smiled at him.

"This is always the hardest part," Lizzie told him. "It doesn't matter how many times I do this."

"I'm using a lot of willpower to not go back," William admitted. "But I keep telling myself that she's in great hands and we need this weekend."

"We do," Lizzie agreed. "I've been looking forward to it."

"Me too," William said, pausing as the doors slid open and they stepped inside. He let go of her hand and slid his arm around her waist, kissing her temple. "Just think of everything we'll get to do this weekend. Get plenty of sleep, explore the countryside, and take long showers—"

"I am _so_ looking forward to sharing a bath with you," Lizzie said.

"It's been a while," William grinned. "We can take our time with numerous activities."

"As long as I get to spend this weekend with you, I'm a happy woman," Lizzie said, bumping his hip with hers. "I get you all to myself."

* * *

Traffic was minimal and their drive to Napa Valley was scenic, getting them to the county in just under ninety minutes. William had made reservations at a restaurant called Auberge du Soleil that sat on a hillside and gave diners a view of the valley below. They were given a table right on the terrace and they enjoyed a relaxing lunch, complete with stellar service and finishing the meal off with a refreshing fruit sorbet. They spent a little longer enjoying the view before checking in with Lydia. Eleanor had had a small crying fit after they left but Lydia had gotten control of it soon after. She was currently napping so they planned to call back later in the day so she'd be able to see them.

They headed to their final destination and reached the Carneros Resort and Spa a little while later. They checked in to reception and a staff member took their luggage and took it on ahead to their suite. With everything that was available on site, they had no reason to leave the grounds for the entire weekend if they felt like it. Once they were given their keys, Lizzie and William moved their car to the suite lot. Their suite was on the edge of the resort so they had plenty of privacy.

"This place is so nice," Lizzie said, going up the few stairs to their front porch. There were two patio chairs with a little table in between them and two bicycles leaning against the railing for their use. "And we get transportation too!"

"With this weather and scenery? How could we resist a bike ride?"

"Let's check out our suite," Lizzie suggested. William opened the front door wide, finding their luggage set just to the side. Lizzie started to follow him but he paused in his step and she bumped into his back. "Hey. You're supposed to keep going."

"Hold on…" William trailed off and turned around, surprising her by quickly picking her up in his arms. She laughed as he carried her over the threshold and he gently kicked the door closed with his foot. He headed to the king-sized bed where he gently put her down on the bed. She promptly took her shoes off and stood in the middle of it. He slid his hands in his pockets and watched her as she tested out the bed, jumping up and down with a look of glee.

"This is where you'll be the bad influence on our daughter, teaching her that jumping on beds is okay?" William said. Lizzie stopped after a few moments and looked down at him.

"You joined me once upon a time." She bounced down and slid off the bed onto her feet again.

"Our wedding night was a very special occasion," William murmured as he bent his head closer to her.

"One of my favorites," Lizzie whispered before kissing him. She slid her hands up his chest and wrapped them around his neck, standing on the tip of her toes. He held her steady by the waist as they kissed a little longer, taking their time to enjoy the moment. She just barely pulled away and they lingered for a moment, smiling at each other.

"We still have some exploring to do," William said lowly, breaking the silence between them.

"And maybe a little drinking," Lizzie joked, pointing out what was on top of the bureau near the front door. Two glasses and a silver bucket filled with ice and a bottle of sparkling wine sat on top of it, along with a note from the resort welcoming them.

"When in Napa…"

The bedroom was spacious, considering the size of the bed, and there were two bedside tables framing it. A bench was at the end of the bed and a leather chair was just beyond it, situated near the fireplace. Next to that was a small build in cabinet and a coffeemaker on top. A sizeable flat-screen television hung above the fireplace. Sliding doors gave them a view of their large deck but headed towards the bathroom.

"Ooh, robes!" Lizzie exclaimed, checking out the closet in the small hallway that connected the bedroom and bathroom. She grabbed one off the hanger and put it on, wrapping it around her. "So soft."

"I love that amenities never fail to impress you," William said, feeling the cloth of her robe.

"Every place is different," Lizzie shrugged. She kept the robe on while she ventured into the large bathroom. There was a double-sink vanity filled with extra towels and toiletries. The toilet was tucked into a corner with a sliding door for privacy. They had a good-sized bathtub that was next to a glass shower, which had a second door that led outside to an outdoor shower. When they opened the door to the deck, they found an even larger tub sitting outside.

"You know we're taking advantage of this tub," Lizzie said. "Fill it to the brim with bubbles and you."

"And you," William said, coming up behind her. He pulled her robe open a little and kissed her shoulder, making her hum.

"I'm going to say it a lot this weekend, but thank you," Lizzie said.

"This is a great place to recharge, that's for sure," he said, smiling at her. He placed a quick kiss on the tip of her nose and she snickered. He constantly did it with Eleanor and she would squint her eyes and giggle. It never got old.

The deck they stood on connected the bedroom and their living room. They had their choice of lounge furniture. A table with an umbrella in the center of it was accompanied by two chairs and there were two deck chairs were just beyond that. Just beyond the deck was a comfortable-looking couch that faced an outdoor fireplace. The whole back area was surrounded by metal fencing and trees to give them maximum privacy.

The second half of their suite had another bathroom with a door from the shower leading to an outdoor shower. The bathroom led to their living room, which was furnished with a brown leather chair and a large purple couch. Another large flat-screen television sat in the corner but the furniture faced out to the glass doors. A little dining area was just past the living room with a table and chairs and a fireplace was just across from it. A door led out to the courtyard where the other suites were, giving them two entrances into their suite.

"I officially love this place," Lizzie said, taking a seat on the deck chair. "Four different showers seems a little excessive though."

"You mean you don't want to test each one out?" William teased.

"You know me too well."

"I'd like to think I do," William said, offering her a hand. "And I have a feeling you'd like to check out the rest of this resort."

Lizzie smiled and took his hand, standing back up. "I heard there was a library. Let's go."

* * *

While Lizzie and William explored the grounds, they came across a live band in the Town Square. They spent the afternoon enjoying appetizers and live music. They began chatting with another couple, Bruce and Alice, who were on their honeymoon and had been married on site just the weekend before. They would be staying until Sunday and then spending the second half of their honeymoon in Santa Barbara.

Lizzie and William became fast friends with the couple and were convinced to join in on some of the lawn games that the resort was hosting. The two of them learned how to play bocce ball but Lizzie was terrible at it. She laughed off her lack of talent at the game and cheered on William until he won. To celebrate, the four of them agreed to have dinner at The Farm restaurant on the resort. After checking in with Gigi and Eleanor, they joined Bruce and Alice at the table and they all enjoyed a few glasses of wine with their food.

When they called it a night to go their separate ways, they learned that the newlyweds were staying in a suite just across the courtyard from them. Bruce and Alice were getting touchier with each other the closer they got to their place. William and Lizzie exchanged amused looks with each other. When they reached the courtyard, Alice leaned in to whisper something in Bruce's ear. They said a hasty goodbye before they ran to their place, slamming the door shut.

"Honeymooners," Lizzie said, laughing. William unlocked and held the door open for her, letting her go in first and closing it behind him. Lizzie toed off her shoes and tucked them under the bench by the bed. "Do you remember ours?"

"Vividly," William said, coming up behind her and putting his arms around her waist. He bent down and kissed her shoulder. "I don't think we were all that dissimilar from them."

"We definitely hurried back more than once," Lizzie hummed. She briefly closed her eyes while he nipped at her ear.

"You would rile me up," William murmured. "You'd tease me until I couldn't stand it."

"You loved it," Lizzie said, glancing back at him. She pulled on her bottom lip when she saw the spark of desire in his eyes.

"So did you," William said before she turned around in his arms to face him.

"Isn't that our thing?" Lizzie asked, playing with the bottom hem of his blue Henley. "Tease each other until we break?"

"Until we're desperate for each other?" William offered, lifting his arms as she pulled his shirt off over his head. "Until we're ready to pounce?"

"Like a tiger," Lizzie smirked, tossing his shirt aside. He leaned in and growled a little before kissing her roughly on the lips. He brought his hands down to cup her thighs and lifted her up. Lizzie wrapped her legs around his waist and slid her hands through his hair, returning the kiss as he took a few steps. He bumped into the bureau and set her down on the top, not letting up. She giggled against his lips as he toed off his shoes and hurriedly removed his socks. She popped open the button of his jeans and slowly unzipped them. Then she cupped his bulge with one hand, teasing him the best way she knew how.

"That feels good," William rumbled, breaking off the kiss and dropping his head to her shoulder.

"I know what will feel even better," Lizzie breathed near his ear. She pushed his jeans down and dipped her hand into his boxer-briefs, releasing his erection from the confines of material. She wrapped one hand around him and ran her hand up and down his length, reveling in his groans. He made slow work of getting rid of his jeans and boxer-briefs, pausing every time she'd rub her thumb across his tip and give him a gentle squeeze. He finally kicked them off and swore under his breath as she began twisting her wrist.

"You know my weaknesses too well," William gritted out.

"Want to know one of mine?" Lizzie asked, slowing down her hand movements. He looked at her with glazed-over eyes, still caught up in the pleasure she was giving him.

"Tell me," he managed.

"Having the upper hand," Lizzie hummed. "That, and your body."

William jerked his hips from the way she was stroking him, grabbing at the bureau for support. "Fuck, that's…fuck…"

"I especially love turning your brain to mush," Lizzie said with glee. William's eyes flashed with desire and she barely had a moment to take a breath before he was kissing her again. These were the kisses she got lost in, each and every time. He pulled her to the edge of the bureau and she whimpered as he pressed himself against her stomach. She needed to get her clothes off and she needed them off now.

Their minds must have been in sync because as she hurried to pull her shirt off, his hands flew to her jeans and unzipped them. She threw her shirt across the room and steadied herself on the bureau, lifting her hips as he pulled them and her panties off and let them drop to the floor. Then he grabbed her by the waist, and she wrapped her legs around him again, as he steered them towards the bed. He laid them down on the bed with him on top. She quickly flipped them over and she sat on his thighs, grinning down at him.

"You are far too sexy when you're in control like this," William said lowly, running a hand up her thigh.

Lizzie unhooked her bra and removed it. She bent down close to him and put her hands down on the mattress, framing his head. "You love it."

"Obviously," he said, sliding a hand into her hair and pulled her in for a kiss. He moved his other hand between her thighs. She whimpered and began to grind against his palm, as he teased her like she had just done to him moments ago. They built the tension up between them for as long as possible, knowing it would make everything better. When he dipped a finger inside her, she moaned into his mouth. She pulled him up with her into a sitting position and slid her arms around to him to hold on. He kept brushing against her most sensitive spot and she bit his lip when he pressed his thumb against her clit. Heat bloomed in her lower belly and raged on hotter the longer he expertly moved his fingers, circling his thumb and stroking her. It didn't take long for him to bring her to climax and she dropped her head back, moaning as pleasure coursed through her body.

"I never tire of that gorgeous sight," William whispered. She felt the warmth of his lips on her skin as he kissed the valley between her breasts and up to and across her collar bone. Lizzie opened her eyes and smiled at him. She scooted in closer, framing his erection between them. Her need for him roared back to life and she couldn't wait any longer.

She kissed him quickly on the lips and pushed up on her knees, grabbing hold of him to guide him. As he was pressed against her entrance, she paused to build up the anticipation. Lizzie slowly slid down his length and she sighed, taking him all in and enjoying the full, slick sensation. She was back on birth control and they were finally foregoing condoms for the first time since Eleanor was born. It had been months since he was bare inside her and she had missed it desperately. Taking only a moment to adjust, she began to rock her hips back and forth. They both groaned and she nipped at his lips as his hands glided down to grab her butt. He guided her movements, creating a rough, needy pace between them. They were far past teasing. William pulled her in as close as possible and began whispering dirty things in her ear, making her shudder with delight. She was caught up in his words and the feeling of him thrusting inside her that she was soon teetering on the edge once more. She brought a hand down to relieve her ache. It only took a few moments before she cried out William's name as a blissful orgasm spread through her body.

William barely gave her any time to recover before he flipped her over and set her down on the edge of the bed. The burning need in his eyes and the way his arms and abs flexed with each thrust was overwhelmingly sexy and she squeezed around him. He faltered and groaned, grabbing her hips to steady his pace. Each purposeful stroke brought her more and more pleasure. She knew he was close by the way he was clenching his jaw and that he was trying to make it last longer. She began to roll her hips as he drove into her, their moans mingling together along with their labored breaths. His grip on her hips tightened and his hips snapped into her as he came. Euphoria washed over his face as he rode out his climax, her name rumbling from his lips. He bent down to kiss her softly on the lips and slowly pulled out of her. He didn't hold back his smile when she whimpered from his loss before he lay down beside her.

"I don't even want to move," Lizzie said sleepily, looking over to him.

"We don't have to," William replied.

"Except I do," Lizzie said, sitting up with a sigh. "I'll be right back."

Grabbing the robe and her breast pump, she hurried off to the restroom to clean herself up. Afterwards, she glanced at herself in the mirror and saw herself glowing, feeling so lucky that she was still this happy and this affected by him after so many years. She spent a little bit of time pumping but didn't save it due to the amount of wine they had from dinner. Soon, the urge to get back to him was overwhelming so she turned off the light and emerged from the bathroom. She found him already in bed with the sheets pulled back, waiting for her. She scurried over to the bed and joined him, scooting in close and draping a leg over his. He pressed a kiss to her forehead and she sighed softly.

" _Now_ you don't have to move," William told her.

"Not planning to for a while," Lizzie hummed, resting her head on his shoulder. "Is it bad I want to sleep the rest of this day away?"

"Normally, I'd say yes. We could watch a movie, go for round two, and maybe some midnight snacking," William said. "But we have a very early day tomorrow."

"We do? What happened to sleeping in?" Lizzie asked.

"We'll sleep in Sunday. There's something I've been really looking forward to doing with you since I planned this whole thing," William said. "The only downside is the early start time."

Lizzie poked his side. "The only people I get up early for are the two most important people in my life."

"I better be one of them."

Lizzie smiled. "Always."

"I promise you, it'll be worth the early wake-up call."

* * *

 _Saturday, July 13th_

"Lizzie…wake up, Lizzie."

Lizzie groaned and buried her head in her pillow.

"Come on, love. We need to get up."

"No," Lizzie mumbled, lifting her head to see William on her side of the bed. "It's still dark outside!"

"I know it is. The car will be here in twenty minutes though," William told her.

"What time is it?" Lizzie asked. She held out a hand and he helped her up.

"You don't want to know. Wear something to keep you warm."

Despite the pre-dawn hour, Lizzie found a little energy. She got dressed quickly enough and threw her hair up in a ponytail. Just as she was tying the laces of her Converse, William's phone went off and let them know the car had arrived. The driver greeted them and they slid into the back of the car before taking off.

"Wake me up when we get there," Lizzie said, resting her head on his shoulder.

He kissed the top of her head and slipped his hand into hers. The ride was uneventful with Lizzie dozing on William's shoulder as classical music softly playing from the radio. Soon, they pulled into a parking lot next to an open field.

"Lizzie, wake up," William shook her leg gently. She lifted her head after a moment and yawned.

"We're here? Should I keep my eyes closed?" Lizzie asked playfully.

"Too hard to hide from here," William said.

The driver opened the car door on Lizzie's side and she gasped at the sight on the field.

"We're going hot air ballooning?!" Lizzie asked excitedly, looking back at William.

"Hopefully this makes up for the early call time," William said with a grin as they both got out of the car. "We'll be watching the sun rise from up in the air."

There were a handful of hot air balloons being prepared in the field, some with large baskets that could fit at least ten people and some that were small enough for two. Lizzie and William were directed towards the other group of people, where coffee, tea, and pastries were being offered. As they had their fill, they went through a short orientation on what they were going to experience. Then they were shown which balloon they would be riding in and headed over to meet their pilot.

"Good morning! My name's Alec. You must be William and Lizzie," he said, shaking both their hands. He was a stocky middle-aged man with a graying beard and a bright smile. As he made some preparations for their ride, he talked to them about everything he was doing and what they would expect. The more Lizzie learned, the more excited she became. Once Alec told them they could get in the basket, he did his final check of everything before declaring it was time to go.

"Hang on!" Alec joked before squeezing the burner, heating up the balloon.

Lizzie held on to William and the basket as they lifted off. They were in the air just as the sun was beginning to rise. Alec told them all about the area and the history of the company while they enjoyed the view. Lizzie and William took pictures of the scenery as well as with each other. The balloon itself was rigged to take pictures of the basket and it occasionally took pictures of them from a higher angle.

"This is amazing," Lizzie said, leaning on the lip of the basket. William was behind her and had his arms on the outside of hers. She glanced back to him and smiled. "You always put so much work into your surprises."

"I'm happy you love it. I've been anxious about this one for a while," William said. "I always want to try new things with you."

"This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience," Lizzie sighed. "Even though we're so high, I feel safe."

The entire ride around the countryside lasted just over an hour. As the balloon began to descend, Lizzie was almost sad that it was over. The views and the height were spectacular and their pilot made the whole ride even more entertaining. There was a gentle bump as the basket landed on the ground and marking the end of the adventure. Alec told them their pictures from the balloon would be emailed to the by the end of the day and they thanked him profusely for everything. Their driver was waiting for them in the parking lot and they were driven to Domaine Chandon Winery's Etoile Restaurant. They were treated to a five-star meal with sparkling champagne from the winery as part of the package. It marked the beginning of a relaxing and enjoyable day.

* * *

After their hot air balloon ride, their car took them back to the resort. Lizzie had signed them up for a bike tour, but they still had some time before they needed to go so they returned to their suite to check in with Gigi.

"Good morning, lovebirds," Gigi said when they connected through Domino. Eleanor was sitting on her lap and chewing on a toy.

"Good morning, Gigi. Good morning, sweetheart," William said, waving at the screen. Eleanor looked up at the sound of his voice and she broke into a smile.

"There's my pretty girl," Lizzie cooed. "Did you have any trouble last night, Gigi?"

"A little but you know…she missed you two."

"What happened?" William asked.

"I wasn't Mom and Dad when I was putting her to bed," Gigi said, bouncing Eleanor on her leg and making her giggle. "I gave her a bottle and then put her to bed but she cried for a bit."

"What about the video we made?" Lizzie asked.

"Worked like a charm! You two are geniuses for making that. I think this little one would have kept on crying without it," Gigi said. After Lizzie's last business trip, the two of them decided to make a video addressed to Eleanor. They recorded their nightly routine that they normally went through with their daughter and included a few other things. They made sure it was long enough that she could fall asleep to their voices. This was the first time testing it. "I'm definitely using it again tonight."

"Oh, I'm so glad it worked!" Lizzie exclaimed, squeezing William's hand.

"Speaking from experience, it wouldn't have been a great night otherwise," William said, speaking from experience. "She may not get upset often but when she does, it's a doozy."

"Yeah. Thank you for thinking of the babysitter," Gigi said. "How's the vacay? Having fun?"

"It's been so nice! We've had a great morning so far…"

Lizzie and William talked with Gigi for a bit longer and had their time with Eleanor. It wasn't long before they had to say goodbye again so they could get ready for their bike tour. They changed and headed off to their rendezvous point, where they met up with their tour guide and a few other couples. The tour would last five hours, a nice picnic lunch would be provided, and they would be visiting four different wineries. Once their tour guide explained what their day would entail, they put on their helmets and began to pedal away.

Once their bike tour was over, they returned back to their suite. They wanted to get some shopping done for Eleanor and for their sisters, to thank them for all their help. After taking advantage of the spacious showers— in more ways than one— they headed out. They stopped by two of the wineries to buy a couple bottles of wine and then drove around the area, finding some great gifts for everybody. William suggested dinner at the second restaurant on site and Lizzie agreed. They were given a candlelit table outside with a beautiful view of a vineyard. When they finished dinner, they took their time getting back and called Gigi once more to check in with her. Fitz was also over to lend a hand and visit with his niece. They promised they'd be home late the next day and said goodbye, just as they reached their suite.

"I am definitely done for the day," Lizzie said, taking a seat on the couch in the living room. "I haven't done so much exercise in forever."

"But it was worth it, right?" William sat down next to her.

"Absolutely. We're relaxing for the rest of the night," Lizzie told him.

"Yes, we are," William said, glancing to their deck outside. "I have an idea. First, we get the outside fireplace going so we can enjoy it."

"And second?"

"We fill that bath tub outside up to the brim with bubbles, share a bath, and pop open that bottle of sparkling champagne," William finished.

"I love every part of that plan."

William and Lizzie took advantage of their fireside butler, who brought chocolate strawberries to complement their champagne. Once the outside fire was lit and the bath was filled with hot water and bubbles, the butler left the two of them alone. William undressed and put on a robe before slipping outside to set up some music while Lizzie was a little slower. By the time she walked outside, William was lowering himself into the tub.

"Is there room in there for me?" Lizzie teased as he settled into the tub.

"The water is nice and warm for you."

Lizzie removed her robe, getting a low whistle from William, then stepped into the tub, slowly lowering herself into the pleasantly hot water.

She scooted back until she was between his legs and against his chest before dropping her head back to his shoulder. "This is exactly where I want to be," Lizzie sighed. "Just you and me."

She grabbed her glass of champagne and William took his own, making a toast as they clinked glasses. She put her glass down and relaxed against him once more, closing her eyes. For a while, only the sound of the crackling fire near them and water sloshing against the side of the tub when they moved a little. William was brushing his fingers up and down her arm while occasionally kissing her temple, making her feel comforted and safe. The bubbles that surrounded and covered them had a faint fragrant smell that put her at ease. Lizzie couldn't remember the last time that she had a truly quiet moment like this.

Ever since Eleanor, they had their moments to unwind and to rest but not like this. They were always on alert and ready to jump up at the sound of a cry or sound of distress. Lizzie was particularly grateful this getaway and the time to relax and recharge. As the water changed from steaming hot to luke-warm, William gave a deep sigh behind her.

"What's on your mind?" Lizzie asked.

"Eleanor," William said. "I can't help but feel a little guilty for enjoying this trip so much when we're away from her."

"Oh, Will," Lizzie said softly, looking back at him. "It's hard not to think about her. But you helped me realize that we deserve times like this. We can be parents _and_ partners. We have to think of ourselves on occasion. It's the only way we'll truly enjoy everything."

"It's a little difficult to turn off the father side of my brain," William admitted.

"I was feeling the same way but I keep telling myself that we earned this," Lizzie told him, twisting her body around. She draped her legs over his as she faced him before bringing her hands up and framing his face. "She's in great hands with Gigi, and Lydia, and Fitz because she knows they're family. You deserve this break just as much as me. Now repeat that."

"I deserve this break," William echoed.

"Say it like you mean it," Lizzie ordered.

"I _deserve_ this break," William said emphatically. "We deserve this break."

"There you go, mister,' Lizzie said, leaning in to kiss him.

"Thank you, love," William murmured as she pulled away.

"You'd do the same for me," Lizzie said. "Because we support each other."

"And we're partners," William said before adding "And parents."

"And husband and wife," Lizzie said playfully, dropping her hands into the water and sliding them to his abs. "Which is all I want to think about tonight."

"Now, that is something I can do," William said, reaching for her and pulling her in a little closer. "Take advantage of the time we have left alone for this weekend."

"I wonder how we could do that," Lizzie said

"I have a few ideas."

"Would one of them be to enjoy this bath for a little longer?"

"Of course," William said, leaning forward and kissing her shoulder. "And then when you're ready…"

"We could…watch a movie," Lizzie said, toying with him.

He shook his head.

"We could pack in the bedroom?"

"You've got one part right," William said, his voice low and sexy.

"Okay, packing," Lizzie said.

"Elizabeth," he half-scolded.

"The bedroom. We could go to the bedroom," Lizzie said, pulling at her bottom lip just thinking about what she was about to say. "And we could take our time with each other. Spend the whole evening naked. Maybe work on the two-orgasm record from this shower today?"

"We can break that easily," William promised, his hands skimming down her back and cupping her butt. "Especially if we have all evening. Though I have a request."

"Ask away," Lizzie said.

"I want to hear every moan, whimper, and scream. We have no reason to keep quiet here," William said, his eyes filling with desire. Lizzie shuddered with anticipation.

"I am suddenly done with this bath."

"Then hold on, love," William rumbled, moving forward in the tub. Lizzie wrapped her legs around him and locked her ankles before throwing her arms around his neck. He found his footing and held onto her with one hand while grabbing the lip of the tub with his other to get out. Lizzie let out a breathless laugh.

"Have I told you lately that I love you?" Lizzie asked as he slowly walked towards the bedroom entrance.

"Yes, but I will never tire of hearing it," William said.

* * *

 _Sunday, July 14th_

Sunday was the most relaxing day of Lizzie and William's three-day getaway. They slept in late to make up for the previous day and took their time getting out of bed, thoroughly enjoying each other. William ordered a luxurious breakfast from room service and they spent the morning in their robes.

They had a late check-out so they waited until after they had lunch at the resort before packing up and hitting the road. The drive home took a little longer because they stopped twice, once for gas and the other to pick up a couple bottles of wine for Brandon at a winery he had highly spoken of. It wasn't until the late afternoon that they reached the city and made it home. As much as Lizzie and William enjoyed the weekend alone, they were both anxious to see Eleanor again.

"Mommy and Daddy are home!" Gigi announced as they walked in and emerged from the hallway. She was sitting on the living room floor with Eleanor. "Do you see? Mommy and Daddy!"

Eleanor turned to them and her face lit up at the sight of them. She immediately got on her hands and knees and began to crawl towards them. Lizzie bent down and held out her arms, waiting for her to reach her.

"Mama's here! Mama's missed you, baby girl!"

Eleanor squealed, slapping her hands on the wood floors as she got closer. Lizzie picked her up once she reached her, giving her a big hug.

"How did you two fare this weekend?" William asked, thanking Gigi.

"We got along famously," Gigi said. "Oh! This little one started clapping today!"

"She did?" Lizzie looked at her daughter. "You did?! You're just growing before our eyes, baby girl!"

"Come here! I missed you, sweetheart," William said, taking Eleanor from Lizzie's arms. "I can't believe we missed that."

"Don't worry. I recorded it," Gigi assured them. "At least it wasn't a big milestone like her first words or her first step."

"I have a feeling she's going to be vocal soon enough. She's such a babbler lately," Lizzie said, brushing Eleanor's hair down.

"The last two days, I'd wake up to her 'talking' in the crib," Gigi told them. "And she's a little speedster with her crawling now. Thank goodness for your gates."

"Yeah. She does that," Lizzie said. "Thank you so much for your help, Gigi. We're really grateful."

"Would you like to stay for dinner? It's the least we could do," William said, adjusting Eleanor in his arms.

"Sure!" Gigi said, taking them up on their offer. "I want to hear all about your weekend getaway. Did you have a good time?"

Lizzie's face lit up with a smile. "Gigi, you have no idea."

* * *

I wrote this chapter before the devastating fires in Northern California. The surrounding area of Lizzie and William's destination was affected and the Napa fire was less than a mile away from where they stayed. I chose not to include any of this but if you'd like to help the residents of Napa, here is a link to their relief fund (remove all the spaces and replace the zero with an O)

www . napavalleycf . 0rg . fire - donation - page /

I'll be sharing some extras over on the blog, including pictures of where Lizzie and William stayed during their weekend getaway.

Thank you as always for your patience!


	27. A Big Leap

_Summary: Eleanor is on the move and Lydia and Adam take a big step. It's a time for milestones with the Darcys and their friends._

 _Note: Hello readers! First of all, a new chapter for you! Thank you SO much for being patient. Things have been very hectic and a little stressful so I decided to take a month off from writing. I refuse to abandon this story, especially with how close we are to the end. Sorry for the longer than usual wait! I hope you enjoy it!_

* * *

Eleanor had become better and better at crawling throughout the last two weeks of July. Lizzie was getting used to coming home from work and opening the door to a happy, crawling baby coming up the entryway. On the nineteenth, Eleanor hit another milestone where she had been alive for as long as she was in the womb. Thirty-eight weeks in and thirty-eight weeks out. Lizzie brought home dinner for them and they had a little celebration, taking pictures to commemorate it. They gave her a plush stuffed giraffe that quickly became her go-to toy.

Eleanor would babble to anybody who listened and was doing it more frequently since she turned nine months old. Lizzie and William had been teaching her basic sign language over the past two months and though it took her some time to really understand the signs they were teaching her, she had picked up a few in the last couple weeks. They discovered how much she loved Cheerios when she used the sign for 'more' after they put a few in front of her and she stuffed them in her mouth.

Lizzie and William had a feeling that her first word was just around the corner.

* * *

 _Thursday, August 8th_

William's work days were always busy with conference calls, meetings with the board members, and pouring through contracts. He usually made time for lunch, but he'd dive right back into work after the short break. His days were always just a little shorter than they used to be since he made a point to end his day at five. With the clear line between his professional and personal life, it renewed his determination to improve his company even further. His focus and his contentment did not go unnoticed by his employees. Between the hours of eight and five, he concentrated on work, and as soon as he picked up Eleanor at daycare after work, the rest of his day was devoted to his daughter and Lizzie. But today after getting Eleanor, he realized he had to go back to his office because he'd left his phone and his wallet there.

He walked down the corridor towards his office, turning the corner to see Mrs. Reynolds typing away at the computer. She turned her head at the sound of his footsteps.

"I thought you left for the day!" she remarked with a smile for Eleanor. "I'm just sending out the last of your memos and then I'm on my way, too."

"That's fine. I just forgot my phone and wallet," William said.

"She's gotten so big! It's been a while since I've seen her."

"She has. She's crawling all over the place lately," William said proudly.

"Darce! Good. You're still here," Fitz said, jogging up to him. He bopped Eleanor on the nose and she giggled. "Hi, Sunshine!"

"I only came back to get some things. Did you need something?" William asked.

"Yeah. You forgot to sign one of the pages on the Farrell contract," Fitz said, holding it up. "I needed to send it by the end of the day."

William turned to Mrs. Reynolds. "Would you like a moment with Eleanor?"

"Please!" Mrs. Reynolds said, standing up and holding out her arms. He handed her over and he noticed Eleanor looked a little wary.

"Daddy's right here, Ellie. It's okay," William said, assuring her. He glanced to Fitz. "Hold on. I just have to get my things."

William pulled keys out of his pocket to unlock his office and smiled to himself as Mrs. Reynolds and Fitz played with Eleanor. He walked straight to his desk, grabbing his phone and opening a drawer for his wallet. He pocketed both items and looked around the office to make sure he hadn't forgotten anything else.

He could hear his daughter babbling from the door and Mrs. Reynolds telling her that he'd be right out. He would have to bring her by more often so Mrs. Reynolds could see her. After confirming that he had everything else, he walked out of the office again and closed the door behind him. Eleanor squealed with delight at the sight of him and he smiled at her as he locked the door.

"Daddy's almost done, sweetheart!" William told her and she clapped clumsily. "Yeah! Exciting, isn't it? Daddy's going to take you home in just a minute."

Fitz handed him the contract and he did a quick skim, making sure everything looked alright. Mrs. Reynolds kept talking to Eleanor and telling her what he was doing. He finally took a pen from Mrs. Reynolds, putting it down on the desk to sign it.

"And now Daddy's signing the paper," Mrs. Reynolds told her. "You and Daddy can go home soon!"

"Daadaa!"

William froze in the middle of his signature and he heard Fitz gasp beside him. He slowly looked up.

"William, you didn't tell me she was talking!"

"I didn't…that was her first word," William said in awe. Mrs. Reynolds' eyes widened. He hurriedly scribbled the rest of his signature and dropped the pen, rounding the desk to get to his daughter. "Eleanor! Say my name again. Say 'Dada!'"

Eleanor looked at him with a curious expression.

"Dada!" she finally said after a moment, looking entirely too pleased with herself. She smiled and showed off her teeth, slowly clapping her hands. "Dada…."

"Oh my god," William said, picking her up and kissing all over her face. She giggled at his affection. "That's me! I'm Dada!"

"Dude…" Fitz laughed. William looked up to see Fitz's pointed at them. "I'm recording it all."

"This is amazing," William breathed. He was witness to his daughter's first word and it was _his_ name. His heart expanded in his chest and indescribable happiness flooded his veins.

"Dada…" Eleanor said once more, a little softer this time. She rested her head on his shoulder and he sighed, kissing her crown and rubbing her back.

"Go ahead and rest, sweetheart. We're going home in just a minute," William murmured to her.

"Want me to send this to Lizzie?" Fitz asked, tapping at his screen.

"Send it to me. I want to show her in person," William said.

"Maybe you'll get a repeat performance when she gets home," Mrs. Reynolds said.

"If I'm lucky," William said, hope in his voice. "I know she'll be disappointed she missed it."

"She'll be just as happy as you are to hear her speak," Mrs. Reynolds said. "When Eleanor says something in front of Lizzie, that's going to be the first word that _she_ hears. This is the first word _you_ hear. It doesn't matter if she's missing this now. Eleanor could have said her first word with nobody around but you wouldn't know that."

"She makes an excellent point," Fitz said.

"First words are magical, no matter what," Mrs. Reynolds continued. "I still remember my daughter's first word. And her second, third, and fourth. That first year is filled with one surprising moment after another."

"Sue…" William trailed off. "Thank you. I know exactly what you mean."

"Any time, William," she smiled. "And you need to bring her by more often! I don't want the next time to be her walking in on her own with you right on her tail."

"Don't worry. I'll bring her up as often as I can," William said, glancing to the man on his left. "Fitz, you've got everything you need?"

"Oh, yeah. I should get this ready to go," Fitz said, holding up the contract. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"See you tomorrow," William said before he began to walk away towards the elevators. "Come on, sweetheart. We need to get home and start dinner before Mommy comes home. Can you say 'Mama'?"

* * *

Lizzie stepped out of the elevator and fished around for her keys as she approached her place. She finally found them and unlocked the front door, opening it slowly in case Eleanor was close to it. For the first time in a while, no baby was crawling down the entryway and she frowned.

"Hello?" Lizzie called out, stepping inside and closing the door behind her.

"In the kitchen!" William called back.

She walked down the entryway, towards the delicious smells wafting through the air.

"Where's my usual welcome brigade?" Lizzie asked as she turned the corner. Eleanor was sitting in her high chair and William was leaning over the counter. His sleeves were rolled up, his tie had been removed, and he was wearing an apron. He was holding a small container of snacks while Eleanor played with them, picking one up and putting it in her mouth. William looked over to her and smiled before he put everything down to walk over to her. He gave her an extra-long kiss, resting a hand on her neck. When he pulled away, Lizzie exhaled.

"Wow," Lizzie said and William chuckled.

"Hope that makes up for it," William said and she nodded. "I gave her a snack when I started cooking and she just kept wanting more. Today was a really good day. Eleanor—"

Eleanor cooed at the sound of her name and smiled when Lizzie leaned towards her.

"Hi, baby girl!" Lizzie said, kissing her on the forehead and patting down her hair. "I missed you today. Did you miss me?"

She babbled and slapped her hands on the surface, making her snacks bounce around a little.

"Oh yeah? That sounds exciting! What else happened?" Lizzie asked, glancing to William. "Sorry. What's for dinner?"

"I'm making a roast. I wanted to focus on her," William said, gesturing to Eleanor. "Something kind of incredible happened."

"Really?" Lizzie perked up and smiled at her daughter. "What did you do? Were you good for Daddy today?"

"That's what I'm trying to say. She actually—"

"Daadaa," Eleanor interrupted.

"Did she just…" Lizzie whipped her head around to William. "Did you hear that? She said 'Dada'!"

"I heard it," William said quietly as she turned her attention back to Eleanor.

"Hey, sweet girl. Can you say 'Dada' again? Say 'Dada' for me," Lizzie pleaded in a honeyed voice. "Dada. Daaadaa. You can say it, Ellie! Say it with me. Dada. Dada! Dada!"

Eleanor smiled and giggled, smacking her hands on her surface as Lizzie kept trying to get a repeat performance out of her. Finally, her daughter said it once more and she felt positively giddy.

"Good job, Eleanor!" Lizzie cooed, picking her up from her chair and pulling her in for a kiss and a hug. She looked at William, who was smiling and rubbing the back of his neck. "Will! She said her first word!"

"Is it. What I was trying to tell you earlier was that she said Dada when I picked her up from daycare today," William said, flashing her a sympathetic smile.

"She did?" Lizzie's eyebrows shot up in surprise, looking between the baby in her arms and her husband. "I missed it?"

William furrowed his brow and looked torn. "I tried so hard to get her to say 'Mama' after she said my name. All I wanted was for her to say yours when you finally got here. The whole car ride home and up until you got home, I was working on it. All she did was laugh and clap her hands. I think she thought it was a game."

"Oh, Will," Lizzie said as her face softened.

It was so typical of him to try and tip things in her favor. The fact that he felt guilty about being their daughter's first word was almost laughable. She could see it in his eyes and the way he fidgeted. All that she was feeling right now was pure joy over hearing Eleanor speak for the first time and love for her husband for thinking how she would feel. She put the baby back down in her high chair and poured out a few more snacks for her before putting the container to the side and looking to William.

"First of all, why would I be upset over _what_ her first word is? She could have said 'mononucleosis' for all I care and I would still be as ecstatic as I am right now."

"We'd be having a whole different conversation if that was the first thing she said," William commented, making her snort.

"Will, I adore you for thinking I'd be mad or upset that you're her first word. You're such a big part of her daily routine. You take her to daycare, you see her throughout the day, and you pick her up after work. You have so much time with her and she loves you," Lizzie said, taking his hands.

"You're really not upset about all that?" William asked.

"No. You have your time with her and I have mine. We both knew we'd miss _something_ with us being working parents. I'm just happy it was you that heard her first word instead of one of the daycare workers letting you know secondhand," Lizzie said. "Personally, though, I'd be gloating and rubbing it in your face if she were saying 'Mama' right now instead of 'Dada.'"

"Naturally," William said, one corner of his mouth lifting.

"What we should be focusing on is that she said something. This is just the beginning! Soon, she'll be saying my name and everything else under the sun. We'll both have our own special memories of her first word," Lizzie said, squeezing his hands.

"That we do," William said.

"I'd love to hear yours," Lizzie said, encouraging him.

"Actually, I can do one better," William said, letting go of her hand and pulling out his phone. "I have it on video."

* * *

 _Friday, August 16th_

"You really don't mind?" Lizzie asked William, handing Eleanor over to him. "I certainly didn't give you much notice."

"Lizzie, don't worry," William said. "Eleanor and I will have plenty of fun without you."

"I bet," Lizzie said, kissing Eleanor on the cheek. "Lydia wants one last girls' night before Adam moves in. Plus, they're both missing dinner next Saturday, so I won't see her then"

"That's fine. Have a good time," William said.

"Thanks. I'll probably be back late," Lizzie told him. "Bye, Eleanor! Can you say 'Bye, Mama'?"

Eleanor tilted her head to the side and smiled. "Dada!"

William chuckled and Lizzie lightly smacked his arm.

"You think it's hilarious she's calling us both 'Dada,'" Lizzie said, shaking her head.

"We'll work on our language skills tonight," William assured her with a smile.

"I know what she means when she says it to me, at least," Lizzie said, brushing her thumb across her daughter's cheek.

"That's the important thing," William said.

"Alright. I'm going to go. I'll probably be out late," Lizzie said. "Text me if you need anything, okay?"

"Have fun, love," William said, kissing her temple. "Say hi to the girls for me."

"I will!" Lizzie said before dashing out the door.

* * *

"I'm so glad you guys came over tonight," Lydia said, pouring frozen margaritas into the glasses on the counter.

"Sam's working late so I'd rather be here than an empty apartment," Charlotte said, picking up her glass and taking a sip. "And margaritas sounded delicious."

"Drinks and gossip on a Friday night are always a great combo," Gigi said.

"It's been a while since it's just been the four of us anyway," Lizzie said. "Want to move this to the living room?"

"I've got the dip and chips!" Charlotte said, tucking the bowl of chips under her arms and grabbing the dip with her free hand. The ladies followed suit with the rest of the snacks and left the kitchen, settling down on the chairs and couch in the living room.

"Let's make a toast!" Gigi suggested.

"What should we toast to?" Lizzie asked.

"Um…to new beginnings?" Gigi offered, holding up her glass.

"To taking that next step," Lydia added and looked to Charlotte.

"Me? Let's see…to health and happiness," Charlotte said before gesturing to Lizzie.

"To family," Lizzie said before quickly continuing, "And the hopes that my daughter will say my name soon."

The ladies all laughed and clinked their glasses, taking generous sips.

"Eleanor's still not saying 'Mama'?" Gigi asked with a sympathetic look, putting her glass down and tucking her legs under her.

"No!" Lizzie said with a sigh. "I love that she's starting to talk. She says Dada so clearly and now even says 'baba' when I have a bottle in my hand. I told William that it didn't bother me what her first word was and it doesn't. I think it's just starting to get to me that no matter how many times I say 'Mama' in front of her, she replies with 'Dada' instead."

"Lizzie, she'll say it soon enough," Charlotte said, rubbing her knee.

"I know she will. I'm feeling really impatient now. I see the joy in William's eyes every time she says his name and I'm really happy when I hear her speak. I just want to hear my name too!" Lizzie said before chuckling and shaking her head. "This is not in the parenting books. I didn't think I'd ever feel envious for any part of Eleanor's childhood. It sounds really silly when I say it out loud."

"What if you talked to Jane about it?" Lydia asked. "Wasn't Charlie's first word 'book' or something equally nerdy?"

"You just called your own nephew a nerd because of his first word?" Charlotte asked with a snort.

"I can't with you sometimes," Lizzie laughed, giving her sister a gentle shove. "I'll talk to her Sunday. Thanks for reminding me."

"Any time," Lydia grinned, popping a pretzel in her mouth.

"So, Lyds, are you excited about Adam moving in?" Gigi asked.

"You know, I am. Only two more weeks until it's official," Lydia said. "It's kind of scary too. I haven't been this serious about a guy in… well, ever, really. It's not the same as…the last time."

"But this time is different," Lizzie said.

"It is," Lydia said. "I'm finding the balance, like Rachel used to tell me."

"Do you still have sessions with her?" Gigi asked curiously.

"Only a rare one here or there. I haven't seen her regularly since January," Lydia said. "She helped me see that I'm stronger than I was back then. With becoming assistant manager at the theater and getting more serious with Adam, I'm not the same person I was back then."

"I know what you mean," Gigi said. " _He_ doesn't have any kind of hold on me anymore, you know? It felt like a weight lifted off my shoulders when I figured that out on my own and could move on."

"Right? It really does," Lydia agreed with a relieved laugh. "Adam is the opposite in every way. He's kind and thoughtful and always doing things to make me laugh."

"He makes you happy too. It's nice to always see a smile on your face these days," Lizzie said.

"Never thought I'd fall in love with a theater geek," Lydia said. "And I mean that in a good way. I've become a bit of a theater geek myself."

"Making fun of your nephew for being a nerd and calling yourself a geek just two minutes later?" Charlotte pointed out.

"There's a difference between them! Duh, Charlotte," Lydia joked.

"Oh, excuse me! I always thought geeks and nerds went hand-in-hand," Charlotte said.

"They do," Lizzie said. "My sister just doesn't want to admit that she's joined the ranks of people like us."

"How _dare_ you," Lydia said with a melodramatic gasp. The other three ladies laughed. "Whatever. I'm still the coolest sister."

"Sure you are. You just keep telling yourself that," Lizzie said. Lydia stuck her tongue out at her.

" _Anyway_ ," Charlotte said, turning to Gigi. "How are things going with you and Naveen?"

"Good! Things are good," Gigi said. "He's a very active person."

"Reeeally?" Lizzie asked suggestively, with a raised brow.

"Oh! No! I didn't mean it that way! That is actually only a recent development since we were taking it slow. Nothing to complain about so far," Gigi said with a twinkle in her eye. "We've been going on hikes and exploring different parts of San Francisco even _I_ haven't been to before. We've even gone to the archery range in Golden Gate Park. I'm totally awful but he's determined to help me improve. He's brilliant at it. I haven't seen him miss a target yet."

"Archery sounds fun!" Charlotte said. "I didn't know the city had an archery range."

"See? I basically grew up in this city and didn't know," Gigi said. "Our first date was me showing him the touristy spots and now he's determined to find all the hidden ones. I never know what to expect with our dates, but I find that's half the fun of really getting to know him and getting closer."

"Is there love in the air?" Lizzie asked hopefully.

"Maybe. But it's too soon for that," Gigi said, tucking her hair behind her ear. "I'm happy when I'm with him and I really like him but I'm not there yet. We did agree last weekend that we want to be exclusive. So, I guess I can officially call him my boyfriend now instead of the guy I'm dating."

"That's exciting!" Lydia said, grabbing her drink from the table. "I think we should toast to that too."

"Hear! Hear!" the girls replied, clinking glasses.

"Oh! I have news, actually!" Charlotte said.

"You're pregnant!?" Lizzie blurted out, her smile teasing. Gigi snorted into her drink but quickly recovered.

"Christ, Lizzie. Would I be drinking right now if I was?" Charlotte asked, rolling her eyes. "You're getting as bad as our mothers."

"You take that back!" Lizzie snapped.

"Only if you stop asking me that question. You'll be the first to know when it eventually happens," Charlotte said with a pointed look. "After Sam, obviously."

"I couldn't resist. I'll stop now. I promise," Lizzie said, making an x symbol across her heart. "Continue."

"Thank you," Charlotte said. "I got a call last night from my sister. Maria's engaged!"

"No! Didn't she _just_ move in with her boyfriend?" Gigi asked.

"Believe it or not, they've been living together for a year!" Charlotte said. "Needless to say, my mom is thrilled and my dad is in denial about his baby getting married."

"Sounds just like your parents," Lizzie chuckled.

"She already told me to save the date for September first," Charlotte said.

"What the eff? That's in like two weeks!" Lydia said. "Why the hurry? Is _she_ pregnant?"

Charlotte laughed. "That was my same reaction. She's talking about a year from now. She ideally wants a destination wedding in London or Scotland and it's going to be a themed wedding."

"Wait…September first? Isn't that a big day for the Harry Potter world? They met at Comic-Con, didn't they?" Lizzie said. Charlotte nodded.

"They bonded over that and Doctor Who," Charlotte said. "Really, they're perfect for each other. She doesn't have to hide her love of her fandoms because he loves them just as much as she does."

"So they're doing a fandom-themed wedding?" Gigi asked.

"That's the plan!" Charlotte said. "It's going to be interesting but she says it's going to be classy-nerdy. Whatever that means."

"She can totes pull it off with the help of Pinterest," Lydia said. "That place is a black hole and you can find a ton of ideas there."

"I'm sure she's creating boards as we speak," Charlotte said, finishing off the dregs of her drink.

"Do you want another?" Lydia asked, gesturing to her glass.

"Definitely. You make a mean margarita," Charlotte said.

Gigi and Lizzie finished off their drinks and told her they wanted more too. Lydia nodded and said she'd be back in a minute, heading into the kitchen to get everything.

"And come back quickly! I have juicy gossip from Pemberley's art department!" Gigi called out.

"Really? Don't tell me Todd and Tina are back together!" Lizzie said

"Patience, Lizzie!"

* * *

 _Sunday, August 25th_

"Lizzie? Where are you?"

"Downstairs!" Lizzie called out. She was with Eleanor in the sitting area by the bay window. They had taken advantage of all the space downstairs to spread out all the toys since it wasn't used that often, and it had become Eleanor's unofficial play area.

She heard William's footsteps bounding down the stairs and looked up when he reached the last step. He was dressed in his biking gear and she eyed his outfit appreciatively. His bicycle shorts were form fitting and down to his knees, showing off his muscular thighs and butt and left little to the imagination. His shirt was just as flattering on him and she smiled as he approached her.

"Going for a bike ride?"

"Yeah. Fitz asked me last night during dinner," William said.

"Do you think he's disappointed about the first IVF round not working?"

"Yeah, I think he is," William said. "Brandon told me last night he had prepared himself for both outcomes but still couldn't help but feel let down when he heard it didn't work."

"I understand. Once we decided to start trying, I was ready. It took us a few tries and I definitely learned the lesson of patience," Lizzie said, looking down at her daughter and brushing her fingers through her unruly hair. "We got this beautiful little girl from it though."

"Worth the wait," William said warmly, bending down as Eleanor looked up at him. She beamed at him and held out a toy for him to take. "For me? Thank you, sweetheart."

"Going for one of your bike rides will probably help him out," Lizzie said. "I assume you'll be gone a while?"

"We're doing the Headlands loop. It's something we've wanted to try for a while actually. We'll be gone all morning, at least. He mentioned wanting to try a second loop afterwards. I'll have my phone if you need me," William said, handing the toy back to Lizzie. "We're going to have lunch up there too."

"I think we'll be okay without you for a while," Lizzie said, holding the toy out for Eleanor. She leaned forward and clumsily grabbed it from her, looking proud of herself.

"Are you excited to spend the day with Mommy, Eleanor?" William asked her tenderly.

"Mama," Eleanor softly spoke, still focused on her toy. Lizzie lit up at hearing her name even though it wasn't the first time. She finally had uttered the word late Tuesday night when she was putting her to bed. She practically floated out of the nursery afterwards to tell William what had happened.

"We're going to have a great mother-daughter day while Daddy is away," Lizzie said, glancing out to the window. "It's such a nice day out. Maybe we'll go to the park if she's up for it."

"I'm sure she will be. You should call Gigi or Lydia and see if they'd like to join you," William suggested.

"I may. I have to take advantage of my time alone with her," Lizzie said with a little smile. "Make sure that I'm her favorite again."

William rolled his eyes. "You're hilarious. I need to go. Take care of Mommy for me, Eleanor."

Eleanor gurgled and smiled at him before knocking her toy against the ground.

"That's her way of saying have fun," Lizzie said. "Say hello to Fitz for me. Hopefully the ride will clear his head."

"It always worked for me," William said.

"A bike ride does a body and mind good," Lizzie quipped.

"I'll text you when I'm on my way home," William said. "You can get her down for a nap and you could lend me a hand getting these snug clothes off."

Lizzie gave him a mischievous look. "I like what you're selling, sir."

"I thought you might," William grinned before leaning over and giving her a kiss. "I've got to get going. I'll see you later."

* * *

"Thanks for coming to the park with us," Lizzie said to Gigi, taking Eleanor out of her stroller and placing her on the blanket Gigi had laid out. "I thought it would be nice for Eleanor to get some auntie time."

"Of course! It's too nice of a day to stay inside. I can see why William took advantage of it," Gigi said. She put the picnic basket down before taking a seat next to Eleanor.

"And you didn't have any plans with your _boyfriend_?" Lizzie asked playfully, sitting directly across from her daughter.

Gigi ignored her comment. "His younger sister Ayesha had a seven-hour layover at SFO so he wanted to see her."

"Too early in the relationship to meet her?" Lizzie asked.

"You bet," Gigi said.

Eleanor began to fuss and make noise, reaching for the air. Lizzie pulled a snack bag and a bottle out of the diaper bag, holding them both in front of her. Eleanor grabbed for the bottle of milk and Lizzie handed it to her, putting the snack away.

"You just know what she needs without even thinking," Gigi commented.

"It's fifty-fifty these days," Lizzie shrugged. "I figured she was hungry since it's been a couple hours since I fed her last. It takes me forever to figure it out on some days. I'm happy she's starting to say words but I can't wait until she can actually tell me what she wants."

"Not _too_ soon, I hope," Gigi said.

"It's the parental conundrum! Basically, I want her to stay this small forever but be able to communicate with me clearly," Lizzie said.

"That would be really weird, honestly," Gigi said.

"I know. I have to accept that she's going to get bigger," Lizzie said with a sigh. "Speaking of getting bigger, William and I are planning a birthday party for her first birthday."

"Verbal invites already? There's still two months until her birthday."

"I know. We want to give plenty of notice so you can find a great costume. It falls on Halloween weekend so we're embracing that theme. Nothing half-assed."

"Oh, nice! You know I'll bring it! Have you told Fitz? He's had the monopoly on those parties for a while," Gigi reminded her.

"William mentioned it to Brandon last night and he's going to tell Fitz today. I'm pretty sure he'll make an exception for his niece. She's kind of a big deal," Lizzie said and Gigi laughed. Lizzie ruffled her daughter's hair and she turned her head, looking at her curiously before she stopped drinking.

"Maamaa," Eleanor said, holding the bottle out for her.

"Wow. She's getting clearer every time," Gigi said and Lizzie nodded as she took it.

"She is," Lizzie said. "All done already? You sure, baby girl?"

"You'll find out in a minute!" Gigi joked.

"She's fickle that way. How has your week been?" Lizzie asked, putting the bottle within reach of her daughter.

The two ladies conversed and entertained Eleanor at the same time, playing with her whenever she would crawl to one of them. As soon as she wanted her snack and milk again, Gigi unpacked their sandwiches so they could join her. They had a leisure lunch and watched other people in the park playing Frisbee and playing with their dogs. Eleanor was fascinated with the flying disc going back and forth between the strangers. Lizzie took out one of her toy balls from the diaper bag so she and Gigi could show Eleanor how to catch.

"How good are her reflexes right now?" Gigi asked, taking Eleanor out of her lap and putting her between her and Lizzie.

"She's getting better," Lizzie said. "Lately, she's been trying to grab it when William and I do this. It's kind of adorable."

Lizzie and Gigi tossed the ball back and forth, pausing each time as Eleanor slowly reached for the object. She giggled and cooed when it would go over her head, swatting for the ball far too late every time.

"Come on, Ellie. You can get the ball!" Gigi encouraged, holding it out for her. Instead of reaching for it, she bounced in her place. Gigi bopped her on the nose with the ball and she giggled. She tossed the ball to Lizzie and Eleanor crawled over to her as she held it out. She repeated Gigi's actions with the ball, making her giggle again.

"Want the ball, Ellie?" Lizzie asked, holding it up for her. Eleanor put her hands on Lizzie's leg and proceeded to push herself up into a standing position. Lizzie gasped and looked to Gigi. "She's standing! Get your phone! You're standing, Eleanor! Look at you!"

She cooed and smiled the biggest smile Lizzie had ever seen as she stayed up, using Lizzie's leg to hold herself up. Gigi quickly took pictures as Eleanor swayed a bit. Then she let go of her leg and stood by herself for all of two seconds before slowly falling backwards onto her butt. Her bottom lip started to wobble and Lizzie acted quickly to keep her from crying.

"Uh oh! You're okay. You're just fine," Lizzie assured, picking her daughter up and kissing her face. Then she pulled her in for a hug and rubbed her back. "You did so good, baby girl. Standing all on your own for the first time!"

"That was great! I actually got a few good ones," Gigi told her, holding up her phone and showing Lizzie before she sent them to her.

"Perfect!" Lizzie said, putting Eleanor back down in her lap. "We're going to show Daddy what you can do! He's going to be so proud, just like Mommy is."

"And her aunt!" Gigi exclaimed. "I'm even happier you asked me to come with you today."

"I am too. I have photographic evidence now," Lizzie said as she looked at the pictures.

"I wouldn't be surprised if she takes her first step before her first birthday."

"She inherited determination from her parents so she just may," Lizzie smiled at her. "That would be great, wouldn't it?"

* * *

"Whoo! Now _that_ was a ride," Fitz breathed out, resting his bike against the picnic table before sitting down. He grabbed his water bottle and took a big gulp. William walked over from the little sandwich hut and handed him a sandwich and a bag of chips. "Thanks. I'm starved."

"We worked up quite an appetite," William said, sitting down next to him. "Hope you have enough energy for the ride back."

"You know it," Fitz said, taking a big bite out of his sandwich. They were tired but hungry after their bike ride and they inhaled their food. After the first time they finished the loop around the Headlands, they agreed to do it again. Fitz seemed particularly focused to fit in as much as he could and William was fine with it. He was looking forward to the ride back, especially with the sunny weather. It brought out some other cyclists and runners but not enough for anybody to get in the way of each other. The ride was the hardest they had pushed themselves in a while and it felt invigorating.

"You know, we should try doing this more often than every four or five months," William said after polishing off his sandwich.

"Like weekly?" Fitz asked, taking a swig of water.

"I'd say once or twice a month is good to start but we can work our way up to it," William said, gently hitting his arm. "Cycling around the city just isn't the same. It helps me stay in shape, along with the yoga and swimming, but Eleanor's only going to get more mobile over the next few months."

"There's plenty of trails we haven't tried up here," Fitz said. "And I'll eventually have a kid to keep up with too."

William looked at Fitz and saw a shadow of defeat cross his face. He knew that look. Bike rides only did so much for those moods and he knew that talking about it was the only real way to get through it.

"Fitz…" William started and Fitz glanced to him.

"I'm just ready, man," Fitz said.

"I know. I get it."

"It was stupid of me to get my hopes up so much. I tried to prepare myself to hear both good and bad news but then this little voice in the back of head was telling me it would happen," Fitz told him. "I ignored it at first and then I couldn't help it. I got caught up in the whole thing and brought Brandon right along with me."

"When Lizzie and I finally decided to try for a baby, I was anxious to get going. I tried not to show it but when it didn't happen that first month, I was disappointed. It wasn't Lizzie's fault or mine, really. It just didn't happen then. It's a lesson in patience," William said. "We didn't even find out she was pregnant for a couple months after that. I know it's different with IVF and you know within a couple weeks but it's not like that was your only chance. You're trying again soon, right?"

"On Tuesday, actually."

"See? It's going to happen, Fitz. I just know it. You're going to have good news to share soon enough."

"I'm hoping," Fitz said, seeing William raise his brow. "But not too much! I can't get in my head about this. I need to listen to Brandon and be more practical about my expectations."

William chuckled. "But it's still good that you're so hopeful. It would be more concerning if you weren't. It shows that you're committed to this."

"Well, I need to be, don't I? Raising a baby isn't a part-time job," Fitz said. "I want to be the best parent possible."

"I think you're going to be. We're learning as we go and you'll be doing the same. Of course, you're getting in some practice with Eleanor so that's one step up from us," William said.

"And I appreciate that. _We_ appreciate that," Fitz said. "We're prepared for whatever comes our way."

"As you should. When we announced we were having Eleanor, we had two responses from people. The first one was that it was going to be the best experience you'll ever have," William said, holding up his fingers. "Or two, you'll never get any sleep again."

"So, what would you tell us when we eventually have something to announce?" Fitz asked with amusement. "Honestly."

"Honestly? It's not going to be easy. Yes, you're going to lose sleep, especially in the beginning, but it's because you're adjusting to them. You're completely on their time. It's not going to last forever though. They eventually begin sleeping through the night," William said. "We still lose sleep every so often because she had a bad dream or will scream when we try to put her down. The other thing is that you lose sleep because of yourself."

"What do you mean?"

"I've found myself lying awake at night just to listen to the sound of her breathing on the baby monitor. My mind gets full of terrible thoughts that I can't shake. What if she just stopped breathing? What if she didn't wake up in the morning? Am I doing everything I can to make sure she's being raised well? Is she reaching her developmental milestones at the right times?" William said, turning his body more towards him. "I can't sugarcoat this part. It's what you sign up for when you become a parent. There's just so much you figure out as time passes."

"We're more than willing to take the bad with the good," Fitz said soberly.

"That's the right attitude. Here's the thing," William said, pausing for a moment. "When you look back on the first year, you're going to remember more of the good times than the bad. I'm more likely to tell you about how I felt the first time I heard Eleanor laugh than the time she spit up all over me and ruined my tie."

Fitz laughed. "But the horror stories are there to compare."

"They are," William said, one corner of his lips lifting. "When your mini Fitz comes around—"

"Or Fitzalina," Fitz interrupted.

"Oh god, no. That is an _awful_ name!" William said, running a hand through his hair. He pulled out his phone. "I have to tell Lizzie that."

"Come on. I could make it work," Fitz said.

"Nope. Sorry. Would Brandon veto that immediately," William said, his fingers flying across the screen. He sent off the text and looked back up at him. "Anyway, once your little one comes along, we'll have plenty of war stories to trade. You'll have so much to look forward to."

"Thanks, Darcy," Fitz said. "I needed this."

"You've always helped me get out of my head, so I figured I'd do the same," William said, pausing when his phone went off. He checked his message and it was exactly what he thought. "She just replied with multiple laughing emojis."

"Damn. It was worth a try," Fitz shrugged, getting up and stretching his limbs out. "I'll just have to think of a different name."

"A better one, for the sake of the child," William said, standing up. His phone went off with another message and he brightened at the picture attached to it.

"What is it?"

"You know those good moments I was talking about?"

"Yeah."

William held up the phone to show him. "Eleanor just stood unassisted for the first time."

"Look at her being all independent," Fitz said, clapping him on the shoulder. "Next thing you know, she'll be asking for the keys to the car."

"Don't start skipping years on me," William laughed.

"No, man. One of those little electric kiddy ones," Fitz said, mimicking driving a tiny wheel and honking an invisible horn. "Maybe I'll get her one for her first birthday. Brandon mentioned you're having a birthday party for her?"

"We are. It's on Halloween weekend. I know you throw one every year..."

"Don't worry about it," Fitz said. "Not only will we be there with awesome costumes but we're going to help you set up. We've already got the best decorations."

"Are you sure?"

"Darcy. Don't you know by now that Eleanor gets priority with me? Even if she won't remember her first birthday party, her uncle Fitz is going to help make it great," Fitz said, getting back on his bike. "Come on. It's time to head back. I'm sure you're itching to get back to your ladies."

"You know me too well," William said, straddling his bike. "Lead the way!"

* * *

 _Thursday, September 5th_

When William checked his schedule for the day, he realized he had an entire free hour during lunch. It was rare for him, since he often had lunch meetings lately, but he wanted to take advantage of it.

"Hello, Gigi," William said, knocking on her door. She looked up from her computer and smiled. "Would you care to join me for lunch today? If you're not busy, of course."

"Sure! I was going to run errands but that sounds better," Gigi said. "Is noon okay?"

"We can pick up something from the dining facility and eat in the Japanese garden."

"I'll pencil you into my calendar," Gigi said teasingly. William rolled his eyes but chuckled before saying goodbye and heading back to his office.

His morning was filled with meetings and answering emails so the time went by quickly. Just as his last meeting was wrapping up, he opened his door to let the employee leave and saw Gigi walking down the hall towards him. She waved.

"Just on time. Give me a second," William told her. He left the door ajar while he grabbed his phone and wallet, taking his jacket off the coat rack since it was a cool day.

"Alright, we're good," William said, closing his office door. "Ready?"

"Yep! Sue and I were just catching up," Gigi told him, looking to Mrs. Reynolds. "Call you later."

"You better, honey," Mrs. Reynolds said kindly. "Have a good lunch, you two."

"Thank you. I'll be back in an hour," William told her. "Make sure to get some lunch for yourself. I don't want you forgetting like yesterday."

"Oh, I will. The Korean BBQ truck is on campus today," Mrs. Reynolds said. "I _never_ miss that truck."

William chuckled. "Enjoy."

William and Gigi headed down to the dining facility and picked out something for lunch. Then they headed out to the Japanese garden, which had a few tables and chairs available. They were the only ones in the garden and it made for a quiet and enjoyable lunch.

"Do you share pictures of Eleanor with Sue?" Gigi asked, putting her fork down on her near empty plate.

"A few times a week," William said. "Why?"

"She was asking me about her like she hasn't had an update in forever," Gigi said with amusement.

"Mrs. Reynolds was there when Eleanor said her first word! I don't think she'd be satisfied unless I brought Eleanor up to see her every day," William said, wiping his mouth with his napkin and putting it down on his place. "Admittedly, I've been slacking there. I'm so focused on getting Eleanor home and starting dinner before Lizzie gets home."

"She's basically family and practically her grandma. They can never get enough," Gigi said.

"Why do you think we call Fran and Thomas every week? It would be daily if Fran had her way. Lizzie put her foot down on that," William said. "I don't mind sending them pictures whenever they ask though. They're planning to come for Eleanor's birthday party."

"Really? Are they going to dress up in a costume?" Gigi asked.

"They might. We'll have to wait and see," William said.

"I can't believe she's almost one. Or that you're throwing a _costume_ party, of all things," Gigi said. "Any hints on what you'll be dressing as?"

"You'll have to wait and see," William said, the corner of his lips lifting. "I'll tell you one thing. It's a family costume."

"Once upon a time, you wouldn't even come to Fitz's parties and now you're hosting and doing group costumes," Gigi said. "You're barely the brother I once knew."

"It's crazy how much one person can affect you, isn't it? Or two, even. Never would have figured I'd be here at this point in my life," William said with a genuine smile. "I'm not complaining, though."

"I like this version of you much more," Gigi said.

He decided to change the subject. "So, I've heard a rumor floating around offices the last few days."

"Oh? What's the latest now? Did you hear about Todd and Tina too?" Gigi asked.

"I heard that…" William said slowly, playing with the edges of his napkin, "…you and our newest employee, Naveen Bhatt, are somewhat of an item."

Gigi blanched. William was amused by her nearly comical reaction and nearly laughed but he held back.

"I…um…" Gigi trailed off before smiling sheepishly.

"So it _is_ true," William said, sitting up straighter in his chair. "I don't normally listen to the gossip but I couldn't help it when it involved you."

"What exactly did you hear?" Gigi asked feebly.

"That you and Naveen are, and I quote, 'the cutest couple ever.' I guess Lizzie and I are no longer in the running," William joked.

Gigi groaned. "Okay, so, yes, we're dating."

"Gigi, I'm not mad or anything. You don't have to tell me everything. I don't need the details of every guy you've gone out with. I'm well aware you're an independent woman," William said. "And dating at Pemberley is not forbidden. Your departments don't even interact."

"We've been _casually_ dating for a few months now," Gigi told him, moving her plate aside and resting her arms on the table. "It was only fairly recently that we got more serious. I think that's the main reason I hadn't told you yet. Why bother saying anything if we were just having fun?"

"Makes sense. So when I asked if you knew him from London…"

"Nothing actually happened in London. We became friends but I didn't let it go further," Gigi said insistently. "I am very professional, William."

"I know," William said, holding up his hands.

"I liked him then but I didn't act on those feelings in London because I was his boss. Those feelings came back when he transferred here, and as it turns out, he felt the same way towards me. So, I gave him a chance and we've been on a number of dates in the past few months. A couple weeks ago, we talked about things and decided to become exclusive."

"So, he's your boyfriend," William clarified, mostly for himself.

"Yes, he is," Gigi said with a little smile, tucking hair behind her ear. "Pemberley Digital seriously has the worst gossips around."

"I've noticed that you've been happier lately. While I would love to chalk that up to Eleanor," William said, "it's not just that. I wasn't going to question it because when my sister is happy, I am too. It's evident that Naveen is affecting you in a positive way."

" _Some_ of my happiness is from Eleanor," Gigi said. "But you're right. He does make me happy. He's adventurous and funny and I have a lot more to learn about him."

"I already like him. He's doing wonderful work in the communications department and has proven that we made the right choice in recruiting him. And, he has good taste in suits and in women, clearly," William said and Gigi smiled. "So, maybe I should get to know him in the personal setting?"

"What are you suggesting? Dinner one-on-one?"

"And scare him off?" William joked.

"I actually think Naveen could handle your protective sibling routine," Gigi said confidently. "Sidney was another story. Just one of the reasons _that_ didn't work out."

"Invite him to the monthly dinner. You're hosting the next one anyway, aren't you? You may not have told _me_ about Naveen but I have a hunch Lizzie already knows about him. Possibly Fitz?" William asked. She nodded. "I'm sure they'd both love to get to know him better, as would I."

"Yeah, okay. I'll ask. That doesn't sound half-bad actually," Gigi said.

"It's settled then," William said, cleaning up the mess on the table. They both got up and gathered their things. They left the garden and threw their trash away, heading towards the entrance. "Is there anything else you'd like to tell me while we're at it? Any damning secrets or scandals?"

"No, that's it," Gigi said, rolling her eyes. "You're such a goofball sometimes."

"But you still love me," William said, half-smiling. He held the door open for her and she grinned as she passed him.

"I'm your sister! I have to!"

* * *

Eleanor brought home the flu bug from daycare the beginning of the second week of September and it hit the whole family hard. William stayed home to take care of Eleanor and ended up getting sick. He attempted to balance working from home and take care of Eleanor and himself, but was too sick. Just as the two of them were getting better, Lizzie succumbed to the bug and was out of work the entire next week.

Half of September had passed by the time the Darcys had fully recovered and they hoped it would be a long time before they got sick again.

* * *

 _Saturday, September 28th_

"You're going to play nice, right?" Lizzie asked William as they stepped into the elevator of Gigi's apartment building for the monthly dinner. Naveen would be joining the group for the first time.

He raised an eyebrow. "I happen to like Naveen from what I've seen of him at work."

"This is different," Lizzie said. "Gigi really likes him so don't go all big brother in there."

"I promised Gigi I wouldn't," William said. Eleanor squirmed in his arms and whined. She reached out for Lizzie and she took her, appeasing her. "Daddy's going to play nice! Isn't that right, sweetheart? Ready to see your auntie?"

The elevator dinged and slid open to Gigi's floor. They stepped out and walked down the hall to her door. Lizzie lightly knocked on the door and they heard muffled voices before it swung open.

"Hi! Nobody else is here yet. Come on in," Gigi said. "I was just helping Naveen in the kitchen."

Naveen took that moment to stick his head out into the hallway, flashing a big smile when he saw who was at the door. He walked out of the kitchen and dried his hands on the towel he was holding before slinging it over his shoulder. He was wearing a frilly yellow apron that covered his blue button-down shirt and black trousers. Then he held his hand out for William as he approached them. "Mr. Darcy."

"You're welcome to call me Darcy, or William," William said, shaking his hand.

"William it is," Naveen said before turning to Lizzie. "Pleased to see you again, Lizzie."

"You too, Naveen," Lizzie said with a smile.

"And I thank you for your help with this lovely lady," Naveen said, nodding to Gigi. "Even if it took a little longer than I would have liked."

"Well, it turned out well in the end, right?" Lizzie said slyly. Naveen laughed and pressed a finger to his nose. He glanced to Gigi and gave her a look, making her remember something and scurrying to the kitchen.

"And this little one must be Eleanor," Naveen said, getting to eye level with her. "Hello, darling. You're the one your auntie has been gushing about to me for the past couple months."

"It's hard not to gush," Lizzie said. Gigi emerged from the kitchen with a little bag and handed it to Naveen.

"I have a little something for her," Naveen said, handing the bag to Lizzie.

"Bribing my daughter into liking you?" William asked, a subtle smile playing on his lips.

"I am. Hope you don't mind," Naveen said. Lizzie pulled out a small plush Paddington bear, dressed in a red coat and black hat.

"William, look! How sweet," Lizzie said, showing him the bear. Eleanor's eyes lit up and she grabbed for the bear, making whimpering noises before Lizzie finally handed it to her. "Thank you, Naveen. I think you've found your way in."

"I should hope so," Naveen said, looking back at the kitchen. "I've got to get back to dinner."

"What are you making? It smells delicious," Lizzie said.

"Chicken curry and samosas. Thought I'd treat you to some of my favorite dishes," Naveen said.

"Would you like any help?" Lizzie asked.

"I've had Gigi do the hardest part already," Naveen said. "But I could always use a hand."

"He's teaching me how to make a lot of new dishes. He's a great teacher," Gigi said proudly. "Go ahead. I need niece time." She took Eleanor from Lizzie's arms and gestured to down the hallway. "Come on, William."

"Let us know if you need any help," William said, kissing Lizzie's cheek before following Gigi to the living room. Lizzie joined Naveen in the kitchen and grabbed the spare apron on the hook.

"Alright. What are we doing?"

"As my newest sous chef, I'd like your opinion on the curry sauce," Naveen said.

Before she could tell him where the utensils were, he went straight for the correct drawer and pulled out a spoon. After she tasted it, they agreed it needed more spice and he went straight to the cabinet that Gigi stored them in.

"We'll let that simmer," Naveen said, putting the pot on the backburner. "How much time do you think we have until the rest of the group arrives?"

"Probably ten minutes. We were a little early and I don't think anybody is going to be late this time."

"Eager to meet me, eh?" Naveen chuckled and she nodded. "Alright. Let me show you how to fry these samosas so that they're the perfect golden brown."

He grabbed a frying pan from its place and instructed her on where the oil was, even though she knew. It had taken her nearly a month to remember where everything was in William's kitchen and stop opening the wrong cabinets. She was impressed and surprised by how well Naveen knew his way around. It looked like she had some catching up to do with Gigi.

* * *

Naveen's cooking was a total hit with everybody and he was humble about the compliments. He kept trying to pass the praise to Gigi, saying that the sous chef deserved more of it. Adam, Sam, and Lydia helped clear the table to make room for dessert. Gigi was entertaining Eleanor by trying to teach her to play pat-a-cake while she sat in William's lap and Fitz was talking with Naveen about the differences between American and British sports.

"I just like calling it soccer more," Fitz said. "I played for a bit in high school."

"You were cut from the team after two weeks," Brandon commented, making others laugh.

"I prefer football more than your term," Naveen said. "It's become rather confusing when I bring it up now. Americans always want to be different."

"We sure do!" Fitz said proudly.

"You have better tea," Lizzie spoke up, pulling her attention away from the adorable display between her daughter and Gigi. "The best tea I've ever had was when I was in London."

"You've been?" Naveen perked up. "When was the last you visited?"

"Oh, we went on our honeymoon for a week," Lizzie told him.

"Four and a half years ago, so I'll have to take her back again soon," William said with a twinkle in his eye. "I went in March of last year. It was more business than pleasure."

"But he brought back tea!" Lizzie said lightly.

He smiled at her and she noticed something warm about his stare. She knew that look. He was remembering the night he returned from that trip when she told him she was pregnant. She was still processing the news herself back then and now her daughter was sitting up on her own, clumsily playing hand games with her aunt, and calling her Mama. The memory felt like a lifetime ago but it was still so crystal clear to her. His reaction and that night was something she'd never forget.

"We Brits do pride ourselves on our tea," Naveen said. "I'll have to give you some secrets to making it even better."

"You've already won me over but that just put you over the top," Lizzie said and he cackled.

"Okay. I have another question. Can you explain rugby to me?" Fitz asked.

"Bugger, that's a tough one. Only played it once myself," Naveen said. "I nearly broke my arm. I don't have the body for it. The boys at secondary were downright savage. It's more closely related to American football with a bit of our football mixed in."

"Right…" Fitz said, looking more confused. "What's the sport where you play with a flat bat? It's like croquet. I'm blanking on the name."

"Cricket! Now that one I can explain, mate," Naveen said.

Lizzie returned her attention back to Gigi and William, both of them chuckling as Eleanor successfully hit Gigi's hand with her own.

"Good job, Ellie! You're getting so good!" Gigi encouraged.

"Now that she's feeling better, she wants to try everything," William said.

"I'm glad that's over with. What a brutal flu for the three of you!"

"It wasn't fun," Lizzie said. Eleanor put some oomph into clapping Gigi's hands and giggled.

"She's getting so much more coordinated," Charlotte spoke up, moving to a chair near them.

"She's eleven months! Only a month away from her being a year old. Time seriously flies," Lizzie said. "She's got another trick up her sleeve too."

"Come on, ladies. You have to see this," William said. He turned Eleanor around in his lap and picked her up, standing up and carrying her over to the living room. Gigi followed, with Lizzie and Charlotte close behind. William put her down on the floor near the couch and pushed the glass coffee table out of reach, just in case.

"Don't tell me she's walking on her own," Gigi said, shaking her head.

"Pretty sure we would have seen a video of _that_ by now," Charlotte said.

"No. She's been cruising for the past week," William said.

"Cruising?" Gigi asked.

William told her to just watch before he sat on one end of the couch. Lizzie sat on the other end of the couch and softly called her name. Eleanor looked over at her and smiled. She took a moment and pushed herself up with her hands, grabbing onto the couch for support. Then she inched her way down to Lizzie and holding onto the couch like her life depended on it. Her little body was wobbly and she took her time but she finally reached Lizzie, flashing a smile.

"You did it, Ellie!" Lizzie said, picking her up and giving her a hug and a kiss. It was then that she noticed the conversations in the room had quieted. Sam had joined Charlotte's side while Fitz, Brandon, and Naveen had made their way there from the living room. Lydia and Adam were still in the kitchen with the dishes but leaning against the counter through the cutout to watch.

"That's seriously impressive," Fitz said, breaking the silence.

"Lizzie and I were in the living room last Sunday when she just got up and went from one end of the couch to the other," William said. "If she has something to hold onto, she'll crawl over to it, pull herself up, and move across it."

"Want to go back to Daddy? Go see Daddy," Lizzie said to her before putting her back down on the ground. She pulled herself back up with the help of the couch and showed off to everybody, cruising her way to William. She finally made it and in her excitement, took her hands off the couch and slowly fell backwards onto her butt. William picked her up off the floor and set her down in his lap.

"She's still perfecting it," William said, distracting her with a silly face before she could feel sorry for herself.

"She's going to be walking in no time," Sam spoke up.

"We're working on making her feel comfortable enough to walk without the aid of furniture," William said.

"So, using the parents' hands?" Charlotte joked.

"Well, she's gotta start somewhere. There's steps to walking," Fitz lamely joked.

"Not your best work, babe." Brandon patted him on the back.

"They can't all be great ones," Fitz shrugged before he quickly tried to change the subject. "So, uh, is dessert ready?"

"Ah, yes. The infamous American desserts Gigi desperately wants me to try," Naveen said, smiling when she sidled up to him.

"I promise you that it's going to be better than biscuits or banana toffee pie," Gigi said.

"Banoffee," Naveen corrected. "And I'll find something that you'll love one of these days. You haven't truly had dessert until you've had my mum's rice pudding and jalebi."

Gigi grinned. "In the meantime, Brandon made his famous apple pie and you'll be dying for a second piece."

"And there's ice cream to go with it," Adam said from the kitchen.

"Two kinds!" Lydia added.

"Two, you say?" Naveen asked.

"Homemade, as well," Brandon said as everybody got up and returned to the dining room table. "I was ambitious in the kitchen this morning."

"And we're benefitting!" Lizzie said. "You're in for a treat, Naveen. Brandon and homemade automatically equal deliciousness. Apple pie à la mode is an American classic."

"Then enough with the talk and convert this Brit already!"

* * *

Dessert had been such a success that Naveen ended up asking Brandon for the recipe to everything he had made. In turn, Brandon asked for the recipe to the samosas. The two men bonded over their enjoyment of cooking. As the night wore down, most of the group was gone by the time the last of the ice cream had been eaten. While Brandon and Naveen went on about the various dishes they loved, Fitz cleaned up the table. William kept him company with Eleanor asleep in his arms. Lizzie and Gigi took advantage of the time left before William would say it's time for them to head home.

"Naveen did a good job with the group," Lizzie said, tidying up the living room.

"I think so. I was pretty nervous about tonight," Gigi admitted.

"You didn't need to. He certainly has charisma. He hit it off with everybody. He impressed Adam and Lydia over the amount of shows he's seen on the West End, Charlotte and Sam thought he was funny, Fitz gave his approval halfway through dinner with his thumbs up, and Brandon's found another chef in the group," Lizzie said.

"What about you and William?" Gigi asked.

"I know William likes him. He was so much more relaxed tonight than he ever really was with Sidney. Plus, you know I like him. I was the one being all pushy, remember?" Lizzie said, nudging her. "I can see that he clearly really likes you by the way he's been looking at you all night. Don't think I didn't notice you blushing."

"God, I'm too old to be blushing," Gigi tutted, shaking her head.

"Your brother still makes me blush," Lizzie said matter-of-factly.

"Please don't tell me how," Gigi said. Lizzie laughed.

"And while we're talking about it," Lizzie said, getting closer to her. "He sure knows his way around this place already. He was _very_ comfortable in the kitchen. Anywhere else he might be just as comfortable?"

Gigi pressed her lips together, trying and failing to hold back her smile.

"I won't dignify that crude insinuation with an answer," Gigi said, composing herself.

"So does that mean you'll spill later when the men folk aren't around?" Lizzie asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"Likely," Gigi snickered. "Let's just say that my apartment is our preferred destination at the end of our dates."

"As long as he's treating you well, I'm happy for you," Lizzie said.

"He is," Gigi said with a sigh. "Oh. William's trying to get your attention."

Lizzie turned around and saw him gesturing her over with a flick of his head. She knew what that meant.

"I think we're calling it a night. It's getting late," Lizzie said. "Tonight was really fun. And Naveen fits in well."

"It was fun! Thank you for all your help," Gigi said, giving her a hug. "I appreciate it more than you know."

"I'm here any time," Lizzie said. "And call me soon. I want all the details."

"Don't worry. You'll get them," Gigi promised as they walked to William. Fitz had finished cleaning up and had joined Brandon and Naveen in the kitchen.

"Ready to go?" William asked quietly.

"I sure am," Lizzie said, rubbing her sleeping daughter's back.

As William gathered up their things, the guys and Gigi headed for the door to say goodbye to them.

"Great night, as always," Lizzie said, hugging Fitz and then Brandon. "And amazing dessert. You know, I might ask you to make Eleanor's birthday cake. Everything you bake is always so good."

"I'd be honored to, Lizzie," Brandon smiled. "Fitz and I are really looking forward to her party."

"Have a good costume in mind?"

"We may but we're not telling," Fitz butted in. "You'll have to be patient."

"Can't wait to see what you come up with," Lizzie chuckled. "Gigi won't tell me hers either."

"We're all keeping it a secret!" Gigi said.

Lizzie turned to Naveen. "Naveen, it was a pleasure working with you in the kitchen and getting to know you this evening," Lizzie said as William reappeared by her side.

"It was," Naveen said. "I hope we can do it again."

"You can consider yourself invited to any future group dinner," Lizzie told him. "As long as you're with Gigi, you're one of us now."

"Thank you!"

"I'd actually like to extend an invitation to Eleanor's birthday party next month," William added. The gesture surprised everybody in the room and Gigi looked touched, mouthing 'thank you' to him. "I know a birthday for a one-year-old isn't the most exciting event but as you've heard, everybody will be wearing costumes. It's close to Halloween."

"That's…that's incredibly kind of you," Naveen said, his face lighting up. "I'd love to."

"We can coordinate costumes!" Gigi said excitedly. She gave Naveen a warm look when he slid his arm around her waist.

"Okay, we really should go," Lizzie said. "It's late for Eleanor."

After their final round of goodbyes, the Darcys left Gigi's apartment and slowly walked to their car.

"Will, I'm so proud of you for doing that," Lizzie said. "I would have invited him too. I just didn't know how you felt."

"He made a good impression on me. He clearly gives Gigi the respect that she deserves and makes her happy," William said. "And I noticed how he made an effort with everybody tonight. That's the kind of person I'd want to include in our gatherings."

"I noticed that too. Everybody really seemed to like him," Lizzie said, opening the door when they reached the car. William carefully put Eleanor in her car seat and buckled her in before carefully closing the door.

"I just want all the women I love – you and Eleanor and Gigi – to be happy," William said.

"I can safely say we all are," Lizzie said, standing on her toes and kissing him softly.

William sighed and brought a hand up to her face, stroking her cheek. She briefly closed her eyes and they shared a smile when she opened them again.

"Come on. We need to get this young woman to bed," William said, nodding to the car. "Let's go home."

* * *

 _Note: One step closer to the end! Only a few more chapters to go before we get there. Thank you for all your support and your enthusiasm in reading this story. I really appreciate it._

 _I don't have any extras for this chapter but it was longer than the last chapter so that's something! Until next time._


	28. A Step in the Right Direction

_Summary: Things start to fall into place for the Darcy family and the rest of the group as Eleanor's first birthday approaches_

* * *

 _Notes:_ _I KNOW it's been some time and I'm sorry about that. Besides being sick for a while, writer's block became a real thing. I promised to finish this and I will. It's just going to take some time._

* * *

 _Saturday, October 5th_

As the Fall season settled into the San Francisco area, the foggy mornings outnumbered the sunny ones. After a very hectic and long work week for both Lizzie and William, they took advantage of a sunny Saturday and took Eleanor to Pier 49 to explore the area. Their last stop was the Aquarium of the Bay, where Eleanor's eyes were wide with wonder over the sea life swimming through the water. As they walked through the underwater tunnels, she kept reaching up at the fish swimming above them. William lifted her up onto his shoulders and she laughed whenever something swam past her. When they left the aquarium, they remembered the sea lions were a short distance away and walked over to see them.

The noise of the creatures and the crowd by the dock proved to be too much for their daughter. She burst into tears soon after, putting an abrupt end to their adventure. Lizzie spent the whole walk to the car and ride back comforting her. Once they got home, she put Eleanor down for a nap in the hopes that she would be in a better mood with some rest.

"She's down," Lizzie said, emerging from the hallway. She joined William in the living room, sitting next to him on the couch. She sighed when he draped an arm around her and she rested her head on his shoulder. He muted the television and set the remote next to him. "Poor girl. I hate seeing her so upset."

"It's interesting how different her reaction was from the fish and animals in the aquarium to the sea lions," William said. "There were sharks and rays bigger than the sea lions in those tanks."

"There's your answer. They were safely behind thick glass and couldn't get to her," Lizzie said. "She must have thought the sea lions were a threat. They're so loud with nothing but a dock between us. It was pretty crowded too. I got jostled a couple times and there was that family who had no regard for personal space."

"I think you're right," William said, brushing the tips of his fingers along her arm. "She gets that overwhelmed feeling from the Darcy side."

"It's up to us to make sure she doesn't grow up thinking it's okay to sulk in corners during events," Lizzie teased, lifting her head to look at him.

"Do I still do that?" William asked with a raised eyebrow.

"No, and I'm very grateful for that," Lizzie said, kissing his cheek. "This William is my favorite William of all."

"It's thanks to you," William said warmly. "The best part of all this is that there's so much of you in Eleanor. She's such a happy girl most of the time that I don't think we have to worry. She's getting bigger every day and her personality is blooming."

"She is," Lizzie agreed. "You know, you just reminded me. She _is_ getting bigger. I think we need to lower her crib."

"Again? I feel like I just did," William said.

"Now that she's standing on her own and getting stronger, she could easily find a way to climb out on her own," Lizzie explained. "I don't want her getting hurt."

"I'll lower it after her nap," William promised.

"Okay," Lizzie said, glancing at the television. "What are you watching?"

"I was flipping through the channels and found a documentary on the life of Tesla. Care to watch?" William asked.

"It sounds more interesting than that sloth documentary. The pacing of that one was slower than a sloth itself!" Lizzie said.

William chuckled. "I thought you would enjoy it. They suffered from editing issues."

"Not every show is a winner. Turn the volume up, please," Lizzie said, resting her head on William's shoulder again.

He turned it back on and set the remote down before sliding his hand into hers. The documentary was simultaneously interesting and relaxing. They spent the time winding down from their little adventure and enjoying the quiet time after hectic weeks. It was engrossing enough that they didn't notice their sneaky daughter crawling into the room until she was cornering the couch.

"Mama," Eleanor cooed, her face brightening at the sight of her parents.

"Eleanor!" Lizzie gasped, sitting up straight. She scooped her up from the floor. "Oh my god. Did you climb out of the crib? You climbed out, didn't you?"

William immediately began inspecting her head and body for any bumps or bruises. When there appeared to be no damage, they both breathed a sigh of relief. William stood up from the couch and began to walk away.

"Where are you going?" Lizzie asked, holding Eleanor close to her.

"I'm going to go lower her crib right now!" William called back. "We don't want this happening again, right?"

"Thank you!" Lizzie said. She propped Eleanor on her lap and shook her head. "You're going to give me a heart attack one day, baby girl."

Eleanor tilted her head slightly and looked at her with curiosity.

"You've got to be careful for Mama and Dada," Lizzie said, ruffling her wavy hair.

"Mama!" Eleanor repeated, looking pleased when she recognized the word.

"You don't understand what I'm saying at all. It's okay." Lizzie kissed her forehead. "Mama loves you."

* * *

 _Monday, October 15th_

Eleanor had been cruising like a pro for the past couple weeks. William and Lizzie took every opportunity to help her learn how to walk, leading her from the living room to the kitchen or down the hall to the nursery with her holding their hands. She graduated to only holding one finger each by the end of the first weekend in October.

Eleanor's latest way of greeting Lizzie when coming home from work was waiting at the end of the entryway, with William crouched down to Eleanor's level. His hands would hover around her waist as she stood by herself and he encouraged to walk to Lizzie. At the end of last week, it looked like she was going to take her first unassisted steps, but it still hadn't happened yet. She was too eager to see Lizzie when she walked through the door that she'd only hesitate for a second before dropping to her hands and knees and frantically crawling to her instead.

Today, when Lizzie got home from work, her usual welcome brigade wasn't at the end of the entryway. She could hear William's voice floating from the kitchen, having a one-sided conversation with Eleanor. She emerged from the entryway and she checked the kitchen. William was at the stove stirring something in a pot and Eleanor was holding onto the fridge handle, standing and looking back at him.

"Hello there," Lizzie said, putting her things down. She walked up to him and gave him a quick kiss.

"Good evening," William said warmly. "How was your day?"

"Busy with cast meetings and conference calls," Lizzie said, watching Eleanor inch closer to her. "And how about the two of you?"

"About the same. Department meetings and emails," William said, gesturing to Eleanor. "She did well in daycare, as usual."

"Of course she did," Lizzie said, crouching down to her daughter's level. "You have a good day today, Eleanor? Come here and give Mommy a hug hello."

Eleanor let go of the fridge and crawled to the island, pulling herself back up with the lip of a drawer. William watched her from the corner of his eye and Lizzie waited for her to come to her. Eleanor let go of the drawer and stood on her own, her stance wobbly but keeping her up. There was less than two feet between them, but it must have looked daunting to Eleanor so Lizzie held out her arms to lessen the space.

"Come on, baby girl. Mommy wants her hug!" Lizzie said encouragingly. She glanced up to William, who was lowering the heat on the pot and pulling out his phone.

"Are you going to go to Mommy, sweetheart?" William asked gently, turning around to watch her. Eleanor looked up at him at the sound of his voice and brightened. "She'll give you a nice, big hug like Daddy always does."

Eleanor waved her arms around, which made her wobble more, but she crouched down a little to regain her balance. She straightened herself back up and Lizzie motioned with her hands to come closer. Eleanor stared at the floor for just a moment and then took a tiny step forward.

"That's it! Just a few more steps and you'll reach me," Lizzie said, trying not to excite her too much. It didn't quite work because Eleanor cooed with happiness as she took one more step before falling on her butt. Lizzie moved closer and helped her up before inching backwards and encouraging her again. Eleanor wobbled more than before but managed to take a third and fourth step before her butt hit the floor again.

"You did it, baby girl!" Lizzie said, scooping her up and giving her a hug. "Your first steps! You'll get the hang of it before you know it."

"I'm so proud of you," William said, bending down and ruffling her hair.

"Did you get it?" Lizzie asked him.

"I sure did," William grinned. Lizzie put Eleanor back on the floor and let her have free reign.

"She really does move like a little drunken person," Lizzie mused as they both stood back up. She kept an eye on the crawling baby while William got back to work on dinner. "Just like Jane described it."

"Speaking of, did you get a hold of her?" William asked.

"Bing said she was still feeling under the weather when I called this morning so I emailed her," Lizzie said. "She said she'd ask a co-worker to help with Eleanor's costume. I already found a wig that works."

"Do you think it will be done in time?"

"I have a backup plan, just in case, but she said it would get here the day before," Lizzie said, stopping when Eleanor attached herself to her leg. "What are you doing, silly goose? Do you want to play?"

"She's missed you," William noted. "Kept saying your name throughout the car ride home."

"She did? I missed her too," Lizzie said, picking her up. "How long until dinner?"

"Probably twenty minutes," William replied.

"If you don't mind, I'm going to spend that time entertaining this little walker! You're a walker now, aren't ya?" Lizzie said, tickling Eleanor's belly. She squealed and wiggled in her arms as she walked towards the stairs. "Let's go have some fun, baby girl!"

* * *

As Eleanor's birthday approached, things became a little busier. Lizzie knew that a party for a one-year-old was more for the parents than the child, but she still wanted to make it special. Fitz and Brandon were true to their word and they stopped by a few times to drop off Halloween decorations and help with the little details. Brandon was officially tasked with making the birthday cake and Lizzie gave him free rein over the design.

The week before the party, Lydia and Adam hosted their first monthly dinner. Their first official purchase together had been a dining room table set that had room for everybody. They had redecorated the apartment more to their mutual style and they were eager to show it off. Though half the group was working or out of town, the night went over well. Adam impressed with his cooking skills and Lydia made an excellent hostess.

Eleanor was slowly getting better at walking and could take a few unassisted steps at a time before she'd fall down. Lizzie or William were constantly with her when she'd try a few steps, encouraging her to go a little bit further with each attempt. Her biggest problem was that she'd get so excited over how well she was doing that she'd lose her balance. She happily demonstrated her limited walking skills to anybody who had the patience. Mrs. Reynolds was so proud that she nearly cried, Fitz recorded every step he saw, and the ladies at the daycare were thrilled. While she could currently only make it from one piece of furniture to another, Lizzie and William knew it would only be a matter of time before she'd figure it out.

* * *

 _Friday, October 25th_

Friday was the beginning of Eleanor's birthday weekend and it would be a busy one. Lizzie's parents were due to arrive Friday afternoon and they would be staying until Sunday. William had already made up the guest room for them to stay in, but there was still plenty to be done. He and Lizzie both worked half days so they'd be home when her parents arrived. After William told Lizzie about the small celebration the daycare threw for Eleanor and showed her the gift they gave her, he ran back out to do errands. Lizzie stayed to entertain their daughter and feed her.

"Who could that be, Eleanor?" Lizzie asked her, wiping off the applesauce from her face. "Could it be Grandma and Grandpa?"

Eleanor looked at her like she had no clue what she was talking about. Lizzie chuckled and kissed her forehead, jokingly telling her to stay put in her high chair. As she walked away, she saw Eleanor pick up the spoon and she knew she'd come back to a messy baby. There was another knock as Lizzie walked towards it.

"I'm coming!" Lizzie said, unlocking and opening the door. She immediately let out a yelp of excitement over who was behind it. "Jane! Bing!"

"Surprise!" Bing grinned as she hugged him.

"Oh my god. I'm so happy you're here," Lizzie said, pulling them inside and giving a tight hug to her sister. "I've missed you so much, Jane."

"Me too. It's so good to see you," Jane said softly near her ear. Lizzie sighed with happiness at hearing her signature words and pulled back to smile at her.

"What are you doing here? Where are the twins?" Lizzie asked.

"The twins are with my parents," Bing said.

"I brought Eleanor's costume," Jane said, holding up a small garment bag. "I said it would be here today."

"I know but I didn't think you'd bring it in _person_!" Lizzie said, leading them back to the kitchen where her daughter was. "This is such a wonderful surprise. I can't wait for William to get back."

"Where is he?" Bing asked.

"He's picking up our costumes," Lizzie said. "But Eleanor is here. We were just finishing up eating."

"I can see that," Bing said, snorting with laughter when they turned the corner. Her face was covered in applesauce and she was waving the empty bowl around, looking pleased with herself.

"Oh, baby girl," Lizzie groaned.

"Let me!" Bing offered, grabbing some paper towels. "Once you've cleaned beet puree off a ceiling, you've become an expert on everything."

"Beets? Yuck," Lizzie said, making a silly face at Eleanor. She giggled as Bing wiped her face clean. "This little one doesn't like beets. I don't blame her."

"We were trying different foods," Bing told her, glancing to Jane. "Remember the pear zucchini corn incident?"

"I never could get the stains out of my shirt," Jane said, watching him clean Eleanor up. "I had to get rid of it."

"I've lost a couple shirts in the past months." Lizzie nodded knowingly. "William lost a tie to her latest teething round but it was worth it. It was the only thing that seemed to comfort her."

"There we go! All clean. Come here to your uncle," Bing declared. He picked her up to give her a proper hug hello.

"How long are you here for?" Lizzie asked. "And why didn't you let us know you were coming?"

"We're leaving first thing Sunday morning," Jane said. "We couldn't miss Eleanor's birthday party. You and William flew out for the twins' first birthday and we wanted to do the same. We decided it a couple days ago, Bing made the arrangements, and now we're here." Jane took Eleanor from Bing's arms to snuggle her. "Besides, I needed to see this little one in person. Our video chats aren't enough and it's been too long."

"It really has been," Lizzie said, sidling up next to her sister. "And you know the best part? You get to see her in action!"

"That's right! She's walking now," Bing said, bopping Eleanor on the nose. "We're here for the next two days so we have a lot of catching up to do."

"Where are you staying? Mom and Dad should be here soon so they have the guest room," Lizzie said.

"We're at the Westin," Jane said. "We're here to help you however you need."

"Nuh uh. You're just here to visit. I'm not putting you to work," Lizzie said. "You're always busy."

"Can we at least see how her costume fits? Then I can get to work on any alterations that it may need."

"Oh yes! I'm excited to see her in her outfit," Lizzie said, glancing at Bing. "William should be home pretty soon. Make yourself at home."

"Don't mind if I do," Bing said. "You ladies can take all the time that you need."

* * *

William had returned home soon after, thrilled to see Bing and Jane. They spent time catching up until Mr. and Mrs. Bennet arrived mid-afternoon. Mrs. Bennet practically screamed when she saw Jane and she could barely decide on who to hug first, her daughters or her granddaughter. Eleanor enjoyed the extra attention and favored her grandfather's lap the most. As evening approached, William made the suggestion of going out to dinner and found a nice Italian restaurant in the neighborhood that had something for everyone.

Jane and Bing headed back to the hotel after dinner. Mrs. Bennet helped out with Eleanor's bath, not caring that the front of her outfit was soaked because it gave her more time with her granddaughter. Soon after Eleanor went down for the night, Lizzie's parents followed suit. After a busy day and knowing tomorrow would be even more so, Lizzie and William called it a night soon after and headed to bed together.

* * *

 _Saturday, October 26th_

Sunlight began to pour into the bedroom as Lizzie stirred awake. She squinted at the early morning light, realizing she forgot to close the curtains the night before. As she began to move, Williams's hold on her tightened and she was pulled in closer to him. She smiled to herself as he pressed his lips to her neck.

"Morning," William murmured lowly, his voice thick with sleep. Lizzie turned around to face him.

"Morning," Lizzie replied. "Sleep well?"

"I did." William nodded. "Woke up a little while ago."

"You should have woken me," Lizzie told him.

"You looked too peaceful. I got lost in my thoughts," William said, one corner of his mouth lifting. "Remember this time one year ago?"

"At this exact time?" Lizzie asked playfully. She glanced at the clock to see it was two minutes after seven. "Honestly, those first days were kind of a blur but I can say that I will always remember the first minutes we had with Eleanor. Hearing her cry for the first time, finally holding her after waiting so long, and seeing you with her? Those are moments I'll never forget."

"Not any time soon," William said. "The strength you showed made me fall even more in love with you."

"That's not hard to do," Lizzie said lightly. He snorted and shook his head before kissing the tip of her nose. "I can't believe she's one."

"It's been quite a year. I wouldn't change a thing," William said.

"Not even the blowouts, hours of sleep lost, or the tie that was sacrificed to her teething?" Lizzie asked.

"Not even those," William said, one corner of his mouth lifting. "They're learning experiences for the next one."

"Which won't be until well after she's potty-trained," Lizzie said pointedly.

"Alright. Let's get her to it then, shall we?" William joked, sitting up in bed. Lizzie laughed and pulled him back to her. He laid on his side and propped his head up with his hand.

"Don't wake her yet. It's her birthday. Let her sleep in," Lizzie said.

"The words 'sleep in' and 'one-year-old' don't go together," William said.

As if on cue, they heard the stirrings of their little one begin to make noise on the baby monitor. Lizzie could barely hold back her amusement and William rolled over to his back, rubbing his hands over his face. They knew they still had a couple minutes before her stirrings turned into something more, either babbles or full-blown crying. What they didn't expect after those couple minutes was the sound of Mrs. Bennet coming into the nursery to take care of her.

"Good mornin', my dear grandbaby!" Mrs. Bennet's voice came clearly through the monitor. "You ready for your big day? I surely say you must be! You're a big girl now."

Lizzie and William exchanged a smile and stayed where they were, listening to their daughter's delighted coos as Mrs. Bennet kept talking to her. They listened as she changed her diaper and dressed her in an outfit Lizzie happened to lay out the night before. It was a nice break for the parents to have an extra pair of hands so willing to take care of Eleanor.

"Look at you! You're just the most precious birthday girl. You hungry? I think I saw a bottle with your name on it in the kitchen," Mrs. Bennet said. "You don't need your mama for that anymore."

Lizzie sighed and rolled her eyes. She had decided to stop pumping altogether and start weaning Eleanor off breastfeeding because she was turning one. What she didn't expect was how little time it took. Due to her work, she had been mainly breastfeeding only in the morning right after Eleanor woke and in the evening when she put her to bed. It only took two weeks for her daughter to fully adjust and the last time she breastfed her was last Sunday. Her body was easily adjusting back to her pre-pregnancy days and she had to admit that she didn't miss pumping, but she missed that special bonding time with her daughter. She still had time with her as she fed her a bottle of formula, but it didn't quite feel the same.

Her mom was surprised by the news. She had found out last night as she was helping Lizzie put Eleanor to bed. She tried to guilt trip by saying she breastfed all her girls until they were eighteen months but Lizzie refused to let her mother's comments get under her skin. She and William agreed it was the right time and the right decision for their family.

William grabbed her hand and gave it a squeeze, making her feel better.

"Ready to get up?" William asked warmly, kissing her temple.

Lizzie nodded. "It's going to be a great day."

* * *

At breakfast, Mr. Bennet and William took over the kitchen to make pancakes, bacon, and eggs for everybody. After cleaning up and playing with Eleanor for a bit, Lizzie and William got to work. Jane and Bing arrived to be party helpers, and Fitz showed up shortly afterwards with the decorations he had promised, leaving Brandon at home to work on Eleanor's birthday cake. Bing and Fitz went with William to go pick up more food and supplies, and Mr. and Mrs. Bennet took Eleanor to the San Francisco Zoo as a birthday surprise. Lizzie and Jane were left alone at the house and preparing food for the party.

"You know, I'm really glad you're here," Lizzie said. "It's such a nice surprise for Eleanor, and you two have been a big help."

"Anything we can do to help out such a big occasion," Jane said. "And I've missed you."

"I've missed you too," Lizzie said, bumping her hip with Jane's. "How are the twins adjusting to preschool? Is it much different than daycare?"

"Oh, you know," Jane said. "We're trying to find a balance. Scarlett is a little social butterfly and has already been invited to two birthday parties. She's doing fine with the lessons. Charlie would rather read and learn than make friends, but his teacher says he's her best student."

"Wow. Best student. That's impressive," Lizzie said. "He's such a bookworm and a little smarty-pants."

"He is," Jane agreed. "We'll see how everything goes."

"This is the easiest part. Shapes and numbers are nothing," Lizzie assured her. "Wait until he gets to physics and calculus."

"That's Bing's department," Jane said, pushing a tray over to Lizzie.

"Here's hoping that Eleanor is more interested in literature than anything else. But we don't have to worry right now." Lizzie wrapped the tray in saran wrap before putting it in the fridge. "She's still learning to speak and only says a handful…"

When Lizzie turned back around, Jane had a distant look on her face. She said her name a couple times and then waved her hand in front of her sister's face, finally getting her attention.

"Jane? Where'd you go right now?"

"I have to tell you something," Jane said. "And you can't tell anybody."

"I promise," Lizzie said.

"You know when I told you I was sick two weeks ago?" Jane started. Lizzie nodded. "I was sick, but not with the flu like I said."

"Wait, what?" Lizzie caught on almost immediately and perked up. "Are you pregnant?"

"I—I was," Jane said somberly. Lizzie's face fell.

"Jane," Lizzie said softly, resting a hand on her sister's. She waited patiently for her to speak, knowing it was difficult for her to open up. Jane looked like she was steeling herself and then began talking.

"We agreed to wait a little longer, what with the twins just starting preschool and Bing and I getting busier. I found out I was pregnant one day, and two days later, I wasn't. I barely had time to process it," Jane said. "You know Scarlett and Charlie were the best surprises in my life, and we weren't prepared then either."

Lizzie stayed quiet, letting Jane continue.

"I've been in this weird funk ever since. I barely had time to get used to the idea of being pregnant again before it was taken away from me. I've been going back and forth between being upset about it and…feeling relieved. That's not normal, is it?"

"Every woman who's gone through this reacts a different way. It's okay to be upset just like it's okay to be relieved. You said yourself that you and Bing aren't ready yet."

"I did and we aren't, but there's this guilt that's been building up about me being relieved," Jane said. "Does it make me an awful person?"

"No!" Lizzie said adamantly. "No, of course it doesn't. Things didn't work out. It's going to take you some time to get back to normal again but you're going to get there. In the meantime, I'm here for you. The whole family is all here to help you if you need it."

A small smile appeared.

"I know. Bing tried his hardest to make me feel better but he realized what I really needed was my family. I needed my sisters," Jane said. "He suggested the spur-of-the-moment trip and arranged the flights and the hotel and for his parents taking the twins for the weekend. We're not here enough, and I needed to see you and Eleanor."

"You're not, but we're just as guilty about going to New York," Lizzie said, bringing her in for a long hug. "I'm sorry about the circumstances that brought you here, but I'm still happy you came. We'll see each other more with the holidays coming up. It will be Eleanor's first big trip and plane ride for Thanksgiving, and I'm excited about Christmas. It will be a completely full cabin."

"We haven't been to the cabin since the twins were babies and we haven't celebrated Christmas together for the past two years. I'm looking forward to this more than you know," Jane said. "It gets harder and harder to be on the opposite side of the country."

"Move back here," Lizzie joked.

"We would," Jane said. Lizzie's eyebrows shot up. "I mean, Bing and I have had conversations about it. There's just so many variables to consider. Don't get me wrong, we're happy in New York, especially with the freedom I'm getting with my clothing line and how well Bing is doing. But everybody is here."

"Personally, I would love if you were closer," Lizzie said. "But you know, it's all about timing."

"And it's not the right time. At least not yet," Jane said. "Maybe someday."

"Meanwhile, you're here now and we still have more to do before everybody gets back!"

"Let's get this done and then I can finish up the alterations on your and Eleanor's costumes," Jane said.

"It's going to be great. Thank you for everything," Lizzie said. "You never told me what your costume is!"

"You'll have to wait and see."

Lizzie groaned. "Even you? At least I know my own daughter will look adorable."

Jane smiled at her. "Isn't that all that really matters in the end?"

* * *

Everybody slowly came trickling back to the apartment, giving them time to get the place decorated and ready for the party. When Eleanor returned with Mr. and Mrs. Bennet, Lizzie could see she was on the edge of a meltdown and clearly ready for a nap. Jane and Bing and Fitz and Brandon all excused themselves so they could get ready for the party, and William helped get her down to sleep. Lizzie's parents retreated to the guest room for some rest of their own, wiped out from their day out with their grandchild.

Eventually, Lizzie and William decided to get dressed and ready for the party, taking advantage of their daughter's long nap. They wanted her to wake up on her own so she'd be properly refreshed for her celebration.

"I still haven't figured out what to do with my hair," Lizzie said, sitting on the bed putting on ankle-length white socks and black Mary Jane shoes. "Red Riding Hood has a few different styles."

William appeared shirtless in the bathroom doorway and in the middle of buttoning up his jeans. His hair was still a little wild from his shower, sticking up at odd angles, and a couple of days of no shaving gave him a scruffy look.

"You're wearing a hood, so what works best for that?" William asked.

"Anything really. I could wear my hair in pigtails or keep it wavy like this," Lizzie said.

"You know my thoughts on wavy and curly hair," William said, half-smiling.

"I do," Lizzie stood up and ran her hands down her red knee-length skirt to straighten it out. She walked up to him and stuck two fingers through his belt loops, leaning in close to him. "I also know what you like to do with something to hold onto."

"Tease," William said, raising an eyebrow. "We don't have time for that right now."

"But maybe later," Lizzie said playfully.

"Maybe," William said with a knowing look. "But I also don't recall Red Riding Hood ending up with anybody at the end of the story."

"We can change the narrative," Lizzie said brightly. "Write our own ending."

William chuckled and bent down to kiss her. "Sounds like a great one."

Lizzie caught a glimpse of herself in costume in the mirror as William stepped away into the bedroom. He grabbed his long-sleeve red and black checkered shirt and slipped it on. "I think I'll leave my hair like this. It looks good."

William was buttoning up his shirt and loosely tucking it into his jeans as he looked at her and agreed.

"Now the real question is whether I can pull off the hunter look without a full beard."

"You're just fishing for compliments now," Lizzie said.

"Am I really?" William asked, rubbing a hand across his cheeks.

"Yes, you know you look good," Lizzie approached him once more and put her arms around his waist. "You've got this handsome hipster hunter vibe going on. Any more of a beard and Eleanor may not recognize you."

"Fair point," William said. "I wouldn't want to scare her."

"I _will_ miss this look when you shave," Lizzie said, pulling at her bottom lip for a moment.

"I'll make a deal with you. I'll wait to clean myself up until tomorrow night," William started. "If you don some pigtails just for me before that."

"You've got yourself a deal." Lizzie grinned mischievously and stood on her toes, pulling him in for a deep kiss. He held her by the waist as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Lizzie whimpered a little as he slid his tongue between her lips, running it across hers. They enjoyed the moment for a little longer before pulling away and sharing a smile.

"We really do need to finish getting ready before our little one-year-old wakes up," William said, exhaling. "It's a big day for her."

* * *

It took some time to get Eleanor dressed up in her costume, but it was worth the struggle. Lizzie couldn't resist taking some pictures before showing her off to her parents. When the three of them finally emerged from the bedroom hallway, they got a pleasant surprise of their own. Mr. and Mrs. Bennet were actually in costume and Lizzie was amused by their choice. They were dressed up as the farmer couple in the American Gothic painting. Lizzie thanked them for putting in the extra effort for their granddaughter.

Brandon and Fitz were early and the first to arrive, both of them holding boxes. Lizzie burst into laughter when she answered the door.

"This is too good!" Lizzie said. "Who is who?"

They were matching from head to toe in red pants, a yellow shirt with an oversized white collar, pale blue bow ties, and a bill-less red cap that had a little flag sticking out of the middle. They even had matching red suspenders.

"Tweedle Dum at your service," Fitz said. "Where can we put her present and these cakes, Little Red?"

"You made two, Brandon?" Lizzie asked as they walked in, closing the door and bringing them into the kitchen.

"I made one for everybody and I made a little one for Eleanor," Brandon said, lifting the lid to show a large cake in the shape of a one. It was decorated with white frosting and pale green dots lining the edges and 'Happy Birthday, Eleanor!' written near the bottom of it. The second box revealed a little round cake with colorful sprinkles lining it and a little number 1 piped on the top.

"Oh, you made a smash cake!" Mrs. Bennet cooed. "These are both lovely. You've got such a talent, hon."

"Thank you, Mrs. Bennet," Brandon said.

"If you didn't already have this handsome one," Mrs. Bennet said, touching Fitz's arm. "I'd say you could get yourself any man."

"Handsome?" Fitz grinned, straightening his bow tie.

"Don't let it get to your head, Tweedle Dum," William joked, clapping his back. "Fantastic job, Brandon. Thank you so much for everything."

"Really, it was nothing, William. I enjoyed doing it, so thanks for giving me the practice," Brandon said. "Where's the lady of the hour?"

"She's with her grandpa," Lizzie said. "Showing off her walking skills."

"We're coming!" Mr. Bennet's voice floated in from the hallway. "Nearly there."

They emerged after a moment. Eleanor was taking her time taking with her steps and Mr. Bennet was right behind her, his hands hovering and ready to catch her. She stopped and promptly sat down, smiling when she saw Lizzie and William. When he figured she wouldn't be getting back up immediately, Mr. Bennet picked her up from the floor and brought her over.

"Oh my god. Look at you, Sunshine! You are the cutest little grandma I've ever seen!" Fitz said. He reached out and straightened her tiny curly gray wig.

"I love it," Brandon said, bopping Eleanor on her nose and making her giggle. "I saw you two and nearly thought she'd be the wolf."

"What better way to celebrate her first birthday by dressing her up as a little old lady?" Lizzie said playfully.

"You and I are kindred spirits, Lizzie D. That's exactly what I'd do," Fitz said, giving her a high five.

"Okay, we know we're early, so can we help with last-minute stuff?" Brandon asked, clapping his hands.

"Of course. You can help me with the drinks," William said. "Come with me."

Friends and family slowly began to arrive, each of them happy to show off their costumes. Jane and Bing arrived with far too many presents for Eleanor, dressed as Ariel and Prince Eric from _The Little Mermaid_. Lydia and Adam were dressed as Amy Pond and the eleventh version of The Doctor. When they arrived, there were screams of surprise from the youngest sister since she was purposely left in the dark about Jane's visit. Eleanor was scared by the outburst and started crying. William calmed her down as her aunts apologized profusely to her and cheered her up.

Charlotte and Sam arrived as Carmen Sandiego and Waldo, garnering laughter and a nod of approval from Fitz and Brandon. Gigi and Naveen were the last to arrive, also with arms full of gifts for the one-year-old. Gigi and Naveen were dressed as Daenerys and Jon Snow from _Game of Thrones._

"You two look great! Your costume looks so authentic, Naveen," Lizzie said, ushering them in. "I'm impressed, especially since you had so much less time than everybody else to get a costume."

"What you fail to realize is that he already had his costume," Gigi told her. "He wore it for a series finale party earlier this year."

"I think I pull this off well. I've got the hair and the accent," Naveen said, holding out his faux fur cape and turning around to show off the leather costume. "You mock."

"I just might be," Gigi replied in a poor British accent.

"How many times have I told you that your accent is not good, darling?" Naveen said, clearly amused.

"Many," Gigi said, glancing at Lizzie and shrugging. "And yet, you think I'm adorable."

"I sure do," Naveen said, using a bad American drawl. Gigi rolled her eyes and gently smacked his arm. He grinned and leaned down, kissing her cheek.

"You two are ridiculous," Lizzie said.

"I apologize for her behavior. It's atrocious," Naveen joked. "And thank you again for inviting me. I know this is important for the family."

"We're happy to have you here, Naveen," Lizzie said, gesturing down to the party. "Help yourself to anything to eat and drink. Everybody is in the living room."

"I'm eager to see what everyone is wearing! I'll take these," Naveen said, taking the gifts from Gigi. He smiled at her before walking down the hall to join everybody else.

"He's such a dork," Gigi said, removing her coat and smoothing down her blonde wig. "And then he's also handsome, super charming, and funny."

"Sounds like a good balance," Lizzie said.

"He really is," Gigi said radiantly. Lizzie smiled from seeing the joy in Gigi's face. "Now, where is my niece? I need to give her birthday kisses."

"Come on. You're going to love the costume she's wearing."

* * *

The gift table had been overflowing with birthday gifts for Eleanor and Lizzie and William were surprised, yet thankful, for all the generosity. They spent some time sitting with their daughter, opening the gifts for her and showing them to her. She was given new toys, games, books, and some outfits that were Jane originals. Of course, she spent more time playing with the wrapping paper and emptied gift boxes than anything else.

Lizzie stepped away between serving the main dishes and the cake, wanting to get the kitchen in order. Fitz was right behind her with dishes and ready to lend a helping hand.

"Are you having fun?" Lizzie asked. "I know it's not quite the same as your usual Halloween parties."

"Are you kidding? This is better," Fitz said, nudging her side. They both looked back at the group. William and Lydia sitting on the ground and playing with Eleanor. She kept toddling back and forth to them, handing them scraps of wrapping paper and boxes. When she handed William a bow, he put it on top of his head and she laughed so hard that she fell backwards. He picked her back up and she started her little game all over again.

"I admit that today's been pretty nice," Lizzie said. "It's so difficult to get everybody together, but it happened somehow."

"Somehow? You did this, lady. You created a space that we want to be a part of, time and time again," Fitz said. "You're responsible."

"That almost sounds like a bad thing," Lizzie mused, taking a dish to dry.

"It's not. Most of us are here because of you. Darcy rarely came to parties I threw and he'd never dress with the theme. It was like pulling teeth to get him to do anything. He was all work and no play. Then you came along and now he's hosting parties _and_ in full costume! Every single person here is wearing one!" Fitz pointed out. "With the exception of Brandon, Gigi, and Bing, these people were your people first."

"Naveen is Gigi's," Lizzie said.

"But you encouraged her to do something about it. I mean, I did too, but you get the point," Fitz said, handing her another dish. "All I'm saying is that it's really great to see so many people here and happy to be here. I chalk that up to your skills, Lizzie D."

"Thank you, Fitz," Lizzie smiled, taking a quick glance at her daughter in the living room. "It's all for Eleanor. I want her to be surrounded by her grandparents, aunts, and uncles."

Fitz smiled crookedly. "I can't believe how much she's grown. I remember how little she was when she was born. Now she's walking and she's got a personality and everything. That goes so fast."

"It does," Lizzie said, studying his face. Fitz wasn't often sentimental. While she could chalk it up to the occasion since she felt the same way, she knew it was something more.

"Darcy looks so happy, too. There was a long time where I thought we'd never get to a point like this," Fitz commented, handing her the last dish. "There was a part of him that disappeared when his parents died, but he found it again with you. He actually got a little gross about being in love." Fitz chuckled to himself and Lizzie shrugged. "But once Eleanor was born, he transformed into a completely different person. Sure, that old part of him is still there, but he became _more_. He gushes about the most random things to me and I kind of love it."

"Parenthood does that to you," Lizzie told him, still studying his face and piecing things together. "It's strange what you get excited about. You'll see. You'll be as happy as him when you get there. Probably even more ridiculous knowing you," Lizzie said. "I promise."

"I hope so," Fitz said.

He pressed his lips together and looked down at the empty sink. Lizzie took her chance.

"You know the saying 'no news is good news?'" Lizzie asked.

"Yeah…" Fitz replied slowly.

"You haven't given us an update on your surrogate since August," Lizzie said. "And while I love seeing the more serious side come out, Fitz, I _so_ figured it out."

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Fitz said quickly.

"Come on," Lizzie said, grabbing his arm.

"Lizzie," Fitz admonished. She watched two expressions fight it out on his face as he struggled to keep things to himself.

"How far along, Fitz?" Lizzie asked in a hushed voice. "I know you're dying to tell someone."

"Argh! You're the worst," Fitz replied, equally hushed. He took a look over to the party and must have deemed it too noisy for them to hear what he was about to divulge. "She's eight and a half weeks."

Lizzie held back a squeal of delight—but just barely. She kept her voice low. "Fitz! I knew it!"

"Brandon is going to kill me for telling you," Fitz said with a sigh.

"I'll keep it a secret. I promise you," Lizzie said, squeezing his arm. "When is she due?"

"May twentieth," Fitz said as the elation on his face grew. "We found out three and a half weeks ago and I've been wanting to shout it from the rooftops ever since. Brandon keeps insisting we wait until she's three months, but it is _torture_ keeping it to myself!"

"I know the feeling. While we enjoyed keeping the secret for a while, there were a few times I wanted to blurt it out," Lizzie said. "Especially after the first couple of ultrasounds."

"Lizzie, they're so overwhelming," Fitz admitted.

"In a good way, right?"

"Yeah. It's just a lot. The first ultrasound was to confirm she was pregnant and that first glimpse was amazing. Then we had another one yesterday and we heard the _heartbeat_. At eight weeks! I can't wrap my head around that," Fitz said. "The baby already has a heartbeat."

" _Your_ baby, Fitz, You're really going to be a dad," Lizzie said, her eyes starting to water a little. "You and Brandon are going to be parents!"

"We really are," Fitz said with a shocked laugh. They both glanced back to the party to see them all preoccupied in conversation.

"When are you going to tell everybody?"

"The end of November so you've got to keep this to yourself in the meantime."

"I get to hold this over William after you announce it since he kept your secret from me for so long," Lizzie joked before getting serious again. "You know you're going to be such a great dad, right?"

"Thank you. That means a lot," Fitz said. "Having the practice with Eleanor makes me feel a little more confident."

"I'm glad she could help you," Lizzie said. "Are you going to keep the sex a secret or do we get to know?"

"Actually, we did agree on this part. We're having the doctor write down the sex at the next appointment and putting it in an envelope. We agreed that we'd open it at the cabin with everybody around. Probably on New Year's Eve," Fitz said.

"What a perfect way to ring in the New Year," Lizzie said softly.

"It's got the Fitz finesse, don't you think?" Fitz agreed, letting out a breath. "We really need to stop talking about this before one of us gets emotional."

"I'm just so happy for you," Lizzie said. "I'll hold back the tears until you announce it officially."

"Good way to sell it," Fitz teased as they quickly hugged. "We've got a cake to serve, don't we?"

"We do! _My_ baby is one today!" Lizzie gushed, taking the cake out of the fridge "Where is that candle…"

"Got it!" Fitz held up the wax number one. He grabbed a box of matches from a drawer while Lizzie put the candle on the cake.

"Everybody get ready! The cake is coming out!" Lizzie announced loudly, getting the party's attention. William picked up Eleanor from the floor and took a seat on the couch, setting her down in his lap. He looked over at Lizzie and gave her a big smile, indicating they were ready. Lizzie lit the candle and Fitz helped her pick the cake up, making sure that the candle didn't go out as they walked over to the living room. Fitz gave a countdown to start singing.

"Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you! Haaaaaapppy birthday, dear Eleanor…"

* * *

 _Notes:_

 _I hope this was worth the wait! Only two more chapters after this! The end is NIGH._

 _Thank you for the constant encouragement and thanks to Sarah for pushing me to write. It's much appreciated._


	29. Getaway

_Summary: November is a busy time for the family. Lizzie and William celebrate another big birthday and everybody gets together to celebrate Thanksgiving._

* * *

 _Note: It's the penultimate chapter! Hope you enjoy this one._

* * *

October ended with Lizzie and William taking Eleanor trick-or-treating for the first time. They dressed up in their family costume once more and decided to stay within the building. Lizzie thought it would help Eleanor feel more comfortable about the concept of knocking on strangers' doors for treats. The three of them started on the first floor and planned to work their way up to the top but they only made it to the second floor. She burst into tears over a neighbor dressed as Death and William called it quits. They went straight back to their apartment and Lizzie comforted her before putting her down for the night.

At midnight on the first of November, the official countdown to William's birthday on the twelfth began. They always made considerable efforts to make both of their birthdays memorable, whether it was being whisked away to Paris or simply sentimental gifts. Though they had spent last year settling in with a newborn, William assured her it was exactly how he wanted to spend it. This year, however, for his thirty-fifth birthday, Lizzie had planned a trip and arranged everything, from making sure their work schedules were clear to Fitz and Brandon watching Eleanor while they were gone. All William knew was that they were going on a trip and they were leaving on November ninth.

Lizzie made the next eight days a playful game for William. He was allowed to ask one yes or no question a day in order to try and figure out where they were going. She knew he wouldn't figure out their exact location but he'd narrow it down enough to know how to pack. After four days, William was enjoying the build-up as much as she was. As they were getting ready for bed, she reminded him that he had yet to ask his question for the day.

"I'm still figuring out what to ask," William said before recapping everything. "I don't need my passport so we're staying in the U.S., we're not flying over water, and we're not flying, period. I wasted my question with that one."

"The rules are very clear," Lizzie said with a little smirk.

"You know this is only going to come to bite you in the butt for _your_ birthday," William said.

"I'm willing to make that sacrifice," Lizzie said.

"And we're staying in the same time zone. Another question I wasted. One question a day is a lot of pressure," William told her.

"You eliminated three time zones and forty-six states, Will," Lizzie assured him. "Forty-five if you count that little bit of Idaho."

"Considering we're not flying, I'm going to assume we're not going there," William said, pulling back the bed covers. "And let's say that if we're driving, we're not going to be spending two out of the five days on the road. That eliminates Washington and Oregon."

"Not necessarily. Without stops and traffic, it takes less than thirteen hours to reach Seattle," Lizzie said knowingly.

"I…What? Elizabeth!" William narrowed his eyes at her. She snickered and got into bed, innocently patting the spot beside her. "How do you even know that?"

"There's this little website called Google and it answers _anything_ you want to know," Lizzie said. William rolled his eyes. "What's your question? I can tell you know what to ask now."

"Are we…" William paused for good measure, "…staying in California?"

"Yes, we are," Lizzie said. "It's a good thing California is such a small state, right? You'll be able to figure this out in no time."

"That's it. You're going to pay," William said, climbing into bed. He tugged on her leg to pull her closer to him, making her squeal with laughter. He repositioned himself to straddle and hover over her. "You're such a smart-ass tonight."

"You love it," Lizzie said warmly, reaching up and resting a hand on his face. "And me."

"I do," William said with a big smile. "I really do."

* * *

 _Saturday, November 9th_

By the time they made it to Friday, William had figured out enough information to know what to pack. They were going somewhere they had never been before, it would be along the coast, and they would be in Northern California. He packed for cool weather and threw in his swim trunks for good measure. He was a little more excited with each passing day, especially since this would be another big birthday.

While it would have been nice to spend his birthday with Eleanor, work had been hectic for both him and Lizzie, and this would be a much-needed break. Over the past week, William bent his rule of not bringing work home. As soon as Eleanor was down for the night, his laptop was turned on and he spent an hour getting ahead, with Lizzie doing the same beside him. As soon as the hour was up, they shut the laptops down and they spent the rest of the night unwinding so that they would be able to relax on their trip, not have to worry about falling behind, and be ready for the holiday breaks.

While they waited for Fitz and Brandon to arrive, Lizzie was in the kitchen getting snacks and William was following Eleanor as she slowly walked around the apartment.

"Watch out behind you," William warned Lizzie as Eleanor passed her in the kitchen. Lizzie glanced over her shoulder to watch their daughter toddle around the kitchen island.

"She's getting so much better," Lizzie noted.

"She's finding her sea legs," William joked. "She's not falling as much, at least in the house. Now that she's realized walking is faster than crawling, she's all over the place."

"By the time we come back, she'll be running," Lizzie said.

"We'll only be gone five days," William said, his brows knit with worry. He scooped up Eleanor and she squirmed until he turned her around to smile at her. Her eyes lit up and he placed her on the counter so she could look at both him and Lizzie.

"She's still getting used to walking, Will," Lizzie said. "I don't think she'll learn how to run for five or six more months."

"She's just getting so big." William brushed down Eleanor's hair with his hand. "I'm still trying to wrap my head around the fact that we've got a one-year-old on our hands."

Eleanor reached out for Lizzie, calling her name. She picked her up and held her in her arms, giving her a kiss on the nose. There was a knock at the door and William went to answer it, knowing it was Fitz and Brandon.

"Your babysitters are here!" Fitz announced as William opened the door. "Hey, man! Ready for your birthday trip? From what I hear, it's going to be a blast."

"Do you know where I'm going?" William asked, letting them in and closing the door behind them.

"Our lips are sealed," Fitz grinned.

"You'll find out soon enough," Brandon told him.

"Don't you even try it, William Darcy," Lizzie warned.

Lizzie and William went over everything with Fitz and Brandon, even though they had babysat before. To make Eleanor more comfortable, Fitz and Brandon were going to be staying at Lizzie and William's place. Once Brandon assured them that their daughter would be well taken care of and that they would check in with them a couple times a day, William and Lizzie gave Eleanor extra kisses and long hugs before they finally declared it was time to leave. William put her down and she began to follow them to the door, slowly toddling behind them and saying 'Mama' and 'Dada.' Fitz picked her up before she could walk out the door. William and Lizzie gave her a few more kisses and then closed the door behind them. They could hear her wail behind the door and William let out a breath, not wanting to let go of the doorknob.

"If we go back in, we'll never leave," Lizzie said when he saw the sadness on William's face. Her expression matched his.

"She's upset," William said pitifully.

Lizzie took his hand. "We'll call from the car. Besides, Fitz and Brandon will take care of her. She's in good hands."

"Okay," William said, slipping his fingers through hers. "Alright. Let's go. I want to see this place you've been teasing me about."

"I promise you. You're going to love it," Lizzie said.

* * *

Once they got on the road, they called from the car and could hear her giggles in the background as Brandon let them know they successfully stopped her tears almost immediately after they left.

Lizzie drove down the coastal highway, thankful for the nice weather. There would be at least one day of rain during their vacation but she expected it for November. She had thought about making another music mix to give him clues about where they were going but she had teased him enough. She was just excited to get to their destination as he was. A client had told her about the place a number of months back and when she checked out the website, she had immediately fallen in love.

"How much longer until we're there?" William asked.

"A few minutes actually," Lizzie replied.

"Did you memorize the directions so I wouldn't be spoiled by your GPS?"

"Yep," Lizzie deadpanned. They had been on the road for three hours. It was pretty much a straight shot once she got on to Highway One. She was keeping a lookout for one particular sign and then it would be a mile after that.

"You've gotten too good at surprises," William said,

"Yours have been pretty hard to top. Paris is still one of my favorite trips."

"You know what my favorite surprise of yours was?"

"Your thirtieth birthday trip?" Lizzie guessed.

"The night I came home from London," William said wistfully.

The reverie in his voice made her heart skip a beat and brought a smile to her face. She remembered every second of that night. From the look of pure joy on his face from understanding the message on the fortune of the fortune cookie to the way his arms wrapped around her as they celebrated, it was still all so vivid.

"One of the best nights," Lizzie agreed. She spotted the highway sign and sat up straighter in her seat. They were nearly there. She was antsy to see his reaction. They had four days entirely to themselves and barely had a thing planned except relaxing. As she slowed down to turn onto the road, William looked at her.

"Where are we staying?" William asked as they passed a rustic farmhouse.

"Just wait," Lizzie said. She reached a fork in the winding road and steered towards the left before slowing down for a big turn. She passed a small parking lot before the resort came into view.

They passed the sign 'Welcome to Post Ranch Inn' as they pulled into the roundabout. Two staff members were patiently waiting to help them once they stepped out of the car. Lizzie looked at William as she unbuckled her seat and saw his smile, the one bringing out his dimple. It brought a smile to her own face and it made all the secret planning worth it.

* * *

Post Ranch Inn was a sanctuary that sat on the cliffs of Big Sur. They offered rooms that ranged from sitting atop of the mountainside to being situated right on the coast, but Lizzie had chosen the Cliff House. Between a private sundeck and hot tub that was suspended over the cliffs to the luxurious king-size bed and heated floors, she knew it was just the place for them.

As soon as they walked in through the private gate into their own courtyard, she knew it was unique. There was a large rounded wall around the whole unit that gave them the privacy she wanted but also a view of their own. A wet bar was right next to their entrance with a bucket of champagne and two glasses on top of it. Just past the entryway, which had a large desk, was the open bedroom. The large bed was against the wall but facing out towards the floor-to-ceiling windows. Just beyond the bed was a leather couch to the left with a coffee table in front of it. To the right was a plush chair with a foot rest, situated near the wood-burning fireplace. The bathroom had two sinks, a tub large enough to fit three people, and offered a beautiful view. A door in the bathroom led to a curved deck. There were two deck lounge chairs on one side and on the opposite side was a sizeable hot tub. It was lavish but cozy at the same time.

After they brought in their luggage, Lizzie went out to the deck to enjoy the view and get a breath of fresh air. William joined her a couple minutes later, glasses of champagne in hand.

"I couldn't resist," William said, handing her one. They clinked their glasses and took a sip before standing side next to each other and leaning against the railing.

"So," Lizzie started, gently bumping against him. "You like?"

The corner of William's lip quirked up as he looked to her. "This place is wonderful, Lizzie. I love it."

"I hoped you would. It's been months since it's just been the two of us," Lizzie said. "I love our daughter to death, but I've been craving time with just you where I'm not also thinking about how she's doing."

"I get it, I do," William said softly. "I don't know about you but I plan to take advantage of our solitude. That hot tub looks rather enticing. It's a good thing I packed my bathing suit."

"You know, I'm not quite sure I packed mine," Lizzie teased.

He stared her down and she pulled on her bottom lip, noticing the heat building in his gaze. After a moment, he downed the rest of his champagne and she did the same. He took their glasses and put them down on the table. "You know what I've noticed you haven't done yet?"

"No idea," Lizzie said, feigning ignorance.

"That bed." William glanced inside. "You haven't put it through your test yet."

"You're right," Lizzie confirmed. "Would you care to help me out?"

William scooped her up in his arms and laughed at her squeal of delight.

"Absolutely, I would."

* * *

 _Monday, November 11th_

William couldn't remember the last time he had felt as relaxed as he was right now. The last day and a half had been spent unwinding and doing as little as possible. After they settled into their room and thoroughly tested out the bed on Saturday, they explored the area and had such a filling late lunch that they didn't venture out again for dinner. Yesterday, it rained the whole day and they spent much of it in bed and relaxing, taking full advantage of room service.

Now, he was lying in bed next to his sleeping wife and making no effort to wake her. Her vibrant red hair partially covered her face and was spread across her bare back. Her lips were slightly parted and he could hear the sound of her even breaths every so often. He spotted a faint purple love bite on her otherwise unmarred skin and he smiled. Neither had exactly been gentle with each other last night. She was responsible for some scratches on his back from one round of needy sex which it started with him pressing her against the bathroom wall and ended with them entangled in bed. He would own up to that mark on her shoulder, biting down from all the pleasure coursing through him. They passed out from exhaustion pretty quickly after.

His body was begging to be stretched out and his daily yoga routine sounded like just the thing. Staying in bed with Lizzie was enticing but he listened to his body. He carefully got out of bed without waking her and slid on a pair of boxer-briefs. Then he set himself in front of the gas fireplace, enjoying the heat emanating from it as he loosened up his muscles with his stretching. Soon, he found his center and the peace that usually came with doing yoga. He had improved so much over the months and he rarely skipped a morning now. His last pose was his perfected handstand that he could hold for a few minutes and change his leg positioning a few times. When he brought his feet to the floor and brought himself up, he was pleasantly surprised to see Lizzie sitting on the edge of the bed, wearing a robe and a smile.

"Good morning," Lizzie said. "I was enjoying the view."

William walked over and gave her a quick kiss. "How was my form?"

"You get better and better," Lizzie said. She brought her hands up to frame his face and pulled him back to her, wanting another kiss. He happily gave in and she hummed in satisfaction. He gently guided her back to the mattress while he deepened the kiss, running his tongue along her bottom lip. Her hands ran through his hair and he felt a tingle down his spine as she held onto fistfuls of it. He always savored these moments when she'd hold onto him, pulling him in as close as possible, and making little noises in the back of her throat. It was the little details that always affected him.

"Nice way to wake up," Lizzie murmured when he finally pulled back. He smiled.

"Very true," William agreed. "Did you see the weather? Much better than yesterday."

"Yeah?" Lizzie looked past him to the glass doors, seeing clear skies. "I think that means we have to go out today."

"Well, we don't _have_ to if you don't want to," William joked.

"Nuh uh, mister," Lizzie said, pushing him away so she could sit up. "I have plans for us. Breakfast at Sierra Mar, a packed picnic lunch, and a hike of your choosing. It all depends on which state park you'd like to see more. Then I thought we'd spend some time at the beach."

"Busy day," William commented. "Is there any time for relaxation and the two of us?"

"That happens to be two days of plans wrapped into one. Blame yesterday's weather," Lizzie said. "And the location of dinner is up to you. If you'd like to come back and enjoy a night in, I'd be more than happy to do that."

"I seem to remember a hot tub outside that was for our own private use." He held out a hand and she took it, standing up from the bed and heading toward the bathroom.

"Is there a certain time for breakfast? I thought we could check in with Fitz and Brandon," William said.

"I'd like that," Lizzie said. "And to take a shower. Last night was rather vigorous."

She turned back to look at him as she reached the doorway to the bathroom.

"Now, if you'd like to keep me company…"

* * *

William had asked about the local hiking trails while they ate and loved the sound of the Andrew Molera Loop, over eight and a half miles that would take them through meadows, rough terrain, and to the beach. It took them the whole morning and it was somewhat strenuous, but their final destination was worth it. The beach was nearly empty save a couple with two dogs and a mother and son. The afternoon was more leisurely spent with them enjoying their pre-made picnic lunch and relaxing on the beach.

Lizzie and William returned to the resort in the late afternoon when the sun was getting low in the sky. After short showers, William ordered room service and they had dinner out on their deck. Soon, the hot tub became too irresistible so they changed and slipped into the warm water. It was just what their aching muscles needed after a long day of hiking. William stretched out in the water and rested against the tub and Lizzie sat next to him, both facing out to watch the sun set.

"If I haven't said it enough on this trip, thank you," William spoke up when the sun disappeared from the horizon. "I didn't realize I needed this."

"That's why you have me," Lizzie said, lifting her head and smiling at him. You're always so focused on making sure we have everything we need that you don't always remember to do it for yourself. You deserve it all."

"I have it all," William said earnestly. "I married the love of my life, we have a beautiful little girl, my sister is in a happy and healthy relationship, and our companies are thriving. I couldn't ask for more."

"I love hearing that," Lizzie said. "Compare yourself now to ten years ago."

"I'd rather not."

"All I'm saying is that things get better with age."

"Is that a jab about my birthday?" William joked.

"You!" Lizzie huffed. "I said _better_. You're turning thirty-five, not sixty-five. You have plenty of good years left."

"Where do you think we'll be ten years from now?" William asked. "Since you wanted to compare now to years ago and all."

"Well, there's the obvious one," Lizzie said, lifting her head.

William raised an eyebrow. "Which is?"

"World domination!" Lizzie answered melodramatically. "But really, ten years from now? Geez, Eleanor will be eleven."

"We'll have a sassy pre-teen on our hands," William said. "And, dare I say, another one just a few years behind her."

"I'd take the full blame of that sassiness but it may come from your side as well. Your sister is known to be quite sassy."

"Fair point," William said. "Besides our spirited children, where would we be?"

"By that point? I'm hoping that my company will be even bigger. Maybe I'll have doubled my employee numbers."

"At least."

"And yours will be releasing apps that everyone will be clamoring for."

"Naturally," William said.

"And then with us," Lizzie continued. "We'll have a house. One with at least a little patch of yard in the front."

"A little patch?" William guffawed. "Lizzie, we're going to have a proper front _and_ backyard wherever we are. Just because San Francisco is confining in some aspects, that doesn't mean I'd let our kids be deprived of that."

She brought a hand up to his face, turning his head and kissing him. She took her time and brushed her thumb across his cheek as she nipped at his lips. He let out a soft sigh and pressed his forehead to hers for a moment when they pulled away. Then they shared a smile.

"So, sound like a good future?" he asked.

"I think it will do nicely."

* * *

 _Tuesday, November 12th_

Some of Lizzie's favorite days were the obvious ones, like holidays, anniversaries, and birthdays. William's birthday was at the top of the list because it was one of the few days where she could spoil him to her heart's content.

Lizzie turned to her side to face her sleeping husband. The gray hair near his temples and the salt-and-pepper scruff was more apparent than before. She thought the graying made him look more handsome and distinguished. When he had finally stopped hiding it and embraced the look, she showed him just how thrilled she was about the whole thing. She reached out and moved a few strands away from his forehead and he barely stirred. She smiled to herself and wondered how much she could get away with before he woke up.

She brushed the tips of her fingers down his face, along his neck, and down to his bare chest. She carefully pulled down the sheets, exposing more and more of his lean and toned body. He stirred a little as the sheets reached his hips and she paused, waiting to see if he would wake. When he didn't, she pushed it a little further. She moved her hand to the waistband of his boxer-briefs, continuing down until she reached his groin. She looked at his face as she began to massage him over the fabric, getting satisfaction when his body reacted to her touch. As she used a little more pressure, a sigh escaped from him and he began to squirm just a little. Excitement began to build in Lizzie as she watched him, anxious to see those beautiful blue eyes. She took it one step further and slid her hand under the fabric, rubbing her palm over his hardening length. There was a deep groan from his throat and his eyes opened quickly, looking down at her.

"Lizzie," William moaned. "I thought I was dreaming…"

Lizzie smiled mischievously.

She took her hand out of his boxer-briefs and threw the sheets off him before tugging off the offending cloth. She straddled him and got a firm grip on his erection, before she noticed desire flood his eyes. Just barely catching the 'yes' from him, she didn't waste any time. She began moving her hand up and down his length, turning her wrist left and right. The low groans coming from him sent a surge of lust through her and she craved more of him. She licked her lips in anticipation and resting her free hand on his shoulder, leaning down until she was millimeters from his mouth.

"Happy birthday, Mr. Darcy," she whispered. She gave him a good squeeze as she closed the distance between them and felt his groan as she kissed him. He brought a hand up and tangled his fingers in her hair, kissing her with fervor. It was easy to get lost in the moment and Lizzie let out a whimper as he bit down and sucked on her bottom lip. Her control was slowly beginning to crumble, especially as he began to overpower her desires with a kiss. As she circled the tip of his length with her thumb, a growl rumbled from his chest and he stopped the kiss. He pulled her away so he could look her at her and his pupils were black with need, making her want to abandon her plan. It was clear he had a plan of his own.

"I need you," William rasped.

"You have me," Lizzie replied, reminding him with a gentle squeeze.

"I need to _taste_ you," William reiterated, his voice deeper than before. It was a downfall for her nearly every time. His craving for her was as much as hers was for him. She used what little willpower she had left to ask him one question.

"Do you want this?" Lizzie asked, dragging her hand from his base to his tip and back down again. "Or me?"

"Both," he answered swiftly.

Heat bloomed fast in her lower belly from his words. She pulled herself up and sat on his thighs, keeping her eyes locked with his. He had a silent conversation with her, making sure she was truly okay with his request. She answered by removing her sleep shirt and tossing it to the side. He helped her out of her underwear and twirled them around his finger before throwing them away. She moved up his body and had one last look with him before turning her body around. She positioned herself above him with her legs tucked under his arms.

William pulled her closer and she gasped when he brought his tongue to her, slowly but surely licking her slick entrance. She allowed herself a minute to solely enjoy the pleasure of his mouth movements, rocking her hips as he tasted her. It took everything she had in her to get back her side of the bargain. Lizzie bent over and grabbed hold of his base before running her tongue in a circle around his tip. His moan reverberated against her and her hips jerked against him. She wouldn't last long if it was going to be like this the whole time. She took him in her mouth and flattened her tongue against him, humming in desire as he mimicked the same movement. She pulled him deep in her mouth and he enclosed his lips around her clit, making her eyes roll back in her head. It became a cycle of movements, trying to see who could give the other more pleasure. It was a race she was very quickly losing. He dug his fingers into her hips and pulled her in as close as possible to satisfy his craving. His tongue was everywhere and Lizzie was completely lost to him. She sat up a little, her arms shaking to hold her up as the coil tightened inside her and teetered on the edge. There was a burst of white-hot intensity and she let out a string of obscenities as her orgasm coursed through her.

"Good god," Lizzie breathed flinging herself onto her back on the bed beside William. She closed her eyes until the pleasure slowly subsided. There was shuffling beside her and she knew that William would be above her. When she finally reopened them and they refocused, she wasn't surprised to see him with that smug look on his face.

"You know I love when you wake me up like that," William said softly, leaning down and kissing her flushed cheeks. "But I get more pleasure from seeing you come apart in my arms."

"It's _your_ birthday," Lizzie pointed out.

"Yes, it is," William murmured, kissing up her jaw to her ear. She sighed as he nibbled on her earlobe and tugged on it, sending a little jolt of lust to her core. Her legs fell open so he could settle between her. He released her lobe and whispered near her ear, "You know what I'd rather be doing."

"Please…" Lizzie shuddered as he pressed himself to her entrance and all thought went out the window. "Tell me."

"Being deep inside you when I come," William said, his voice deep and filled with longing. He entered her slowly and kept his eyes locked with hers the whole time. She whimpered as he thrust into her once and then again, beginning to create a rhythm between them. This was her moment to take control back and it took everything she had to gain enough brain power to do it. She brought her hands to his torso and flipped them over. She kissed him briefly on the lips and pulled back.

"You know you're deepest when I'm on top," Lizzie said assertively. The grin on William's face grew as she sat back up, wiggling her hips as she adjusted to him inside her. Lizzie put her hands down on his abdomen and pushed down a little, feeling his stomach muscles tighten beneath her touch as she sunk onto him more. She began to slowly swivel her hips, wanting to take her time.

William's hands ran up her thighs and grasped her hips, digging his fingers into her skin as he drove up into her. Her jaw slackened a little as they moved together, their ragged breaths and moans filling the room. William pulled himself up and leaned her back just enough so he could take her nipple in his mouth. She gasped and slid her fingers into his hair as he dragged his tongue across her sensitive skin, pulling and tugging and teasing her. He brought his other hand up and gave attention to her other nipple, making her hiss with delight. She lifted her legs and wrapped them around him, hooking her ankles together.

Her head fell back and her eyes slammed shut, crying out as he gently tugged on her nipple with his teeth. She was on sensory overload and loving every minute of it. Soon, he kissed his way up her breasts to her collar bone, kissing across one side and to the other. He dragged his tongue up and then down her neck, to the hollow of her throat. Something was building deep inside them and lust took over their movements. She heard him breathily whisper her name and a dirty plea, begging her to come. His determination to bring her over the edge before him made her love him even more, but she wanted him to lose control first. Lizzie clenched around him with each of his thrusts, knowing it would be his downfall. His thighs tensed beneath her and there was a rumble that started deep in his chest. Finally, he groaned as he came and she felt the warm pulse of his release inside her. Combined with the erratic snap of his hips, she couldn't hold back anymore. His name tumbled from her lips as she climaxed and she hummed as felt that ecstasy spread, from her head down to the tip of her toes. They held onto each other as they rode out their bliss together.

Lizzie rested her head on his shoulder and he brushed his fingertips up and down her back. As her breathing returned to normal and she began to cool down, she unwrapped her legs from William. He cautiously lifted her off him and she didn't hold back her whimper of loss from him. She caught the twitch at the corner of his lips when he heard it but didn't say anything. She couldn't help herself. No matter how many times they had sex, she always reacted when they separated. William brought a hand up to her cheek and smiled at her, making her smile in return. He leaned in for a lazy kiss and then pulled her down with him, keeping his arm around her. She rested her head on his shoulder and sighed.

"That made my birthday," William said playfully. "I'd be content to stay right here."

"I have a couple treats for you but they're spread out," Lizzie said. "We can spend our free time wherever or however you want, birthday boy."

"You spoil me, love," William murmured, kissing her forehead. "How about breakfast? You hungry?"

"You mean you haven't had enough to eat yet? Lizzie asked cheekily.

William tickled her side and she jerked around, laughing until she pleaded with him to stop. "Let me be clearer for you. Would you like to order some food, Mrs. Darcy?"

"Yes, Mr. Darcy," Lizzie replied, exhaling. "I would love some."

* * *

Lizzie surprised William with a couple's massage in their suite for his birthday, which took up most of the morning. With the exception of dinner, the rest of the day was in William's hands. He wanted to take advantage of their last full day so they spent part of the afternoon exploring the area.

They went to a couple local galleries and then visited the Point Sur Lighthouse, not noticing the dark clouds rolling in. It began to rain and Lizzie and William made a mad dash for the car, both soaked by the time they got in. They teased each other the whole way back, noticing it was coming down harder the closer they got to their destination. Once they returned, they hurried inside but they were drenched. Laughing at the situation, William pulled Lizzie into the bathroom and they stripped out of their soaked-through clothes. Steam filled the room and they warmed back up with the help of hot water and each other.

Lizzie requested that William get dressed up for the evening, letting him know that they were going to go out for dinner. She had an outfit of her own that she bought a few weeks prior and couldn't wait to see his reaction. After putting on some new lingerie, she slipped into a deep green knee-length dress that hugged all her curves. The fabric was ruched and the thick straps wrapped around her upper arms, making it look as if the dress were actually sleeveless. She paired it with a pair of black heels and curled her hair. After checking herself out in the mirror, she emerged from the bathroom to see William standing by the windows, wearing black slacks with a white button-up, and absently knotting his tie. She cleared her throat and he turned at the noise. His eyes went wide, his arms fell to his sides, and his jaw dropped slightly. It was exactly the reaction she wanted

"That dress..." William exhaled as she approached him. The way he was looking at her made her feel even sexier.

"Do you like it?" Lizzie asked, reaching out to finish his tie. She tightened the knot, straightened it out, and smoothed it down with her hand.

"I do. It's conjuring up some very dirty thoughts at the moment," William admitted, his eyes raking over her figure.

"Then it's doing its job," Lizzie smirked and William raised an eyebrow.

"Are these plans concrete?" William asked. Lizzie grabbed his jacket from the bed and handed it to him.

"They are," Lizzie chuckled as he reluctantly put on his jacket. "At least dinner is. The rest is all dependent on how you feel, birthday boy."

"The gentleman in me feels like we should enjoy whatever you have planned," William said as they headed out the door. "The caveman in me feels like we should eat quickly so we can come back here and act out all the fantasies that are in my head right now."

"I'm sure there's a balance in there somewhere," Lizzie said playfully, locking the door behind them and slipping the keys into her purse. "It probably won't help the caveman in you if I told you there's another surprise under this dress."

William stopped in his tracks and groaned. "You're killing me, Elizabeth."

"It's all about the anticipation, William."

* * *

Dinner was a sultry affair. She had reserved the most secluded table with the best view in the restaurant and it was all set up with candles in the middle. The table was small enough that he could easily reach under and brush his hand across her bare knee, which he did a handful of times. She knew it was a losing battle that they'd be doing anything else after dinner other than hurrying back to their suite. She stoked the fire by taking off one shoe and running her bare foot along his leg. The heat in his eyes grew more intense as the night wore on and she even began to squirm in her seat, knowing how well he channeled that intensity in the bedroom.

By dessert, William made the decision to have it boxed up and she took care of the check. They couldn't get back fast enough and Lizzie fumbled with the keys to unlock the door as William ran a hand up her side and kissed his way up her neck. She threw the door open and he tossed the dessert container onto the little table. She yelped with excitement as he scooped her up in his arms and kicked the door closed behind them.

"Have we lost all patience?"

"Absolutely," William growled. "Let's see what's under this dress, shall we?"

* * *

 _Wednesday, November 13th_

Lizzie had opted for a late check out time so they wouldn't have to be in a rush to leave. They were able to enjoy a nice breakfast, go on another walk down to the beach, and have lunch at the main restaurant before they had to pack up and head home. They got on the road just after one thirty. There was a bad accident on the highway, which completely blocked both sides, and they were stuck. By the time everything had been cleared and the roads had opened back up, the delay had tacked on nearly ninety minutes. They reached the city right at peak traffic time and their nearly three-hour drive turned into just under five.

"You made it!" Fitz greeted them at the door.

"Finally," Lizzie said, rolling her eyes. "Traffic was ridiculous."

"Thank you for taking care of Eleanor," William said. "We really appreciate it."

"It's been our pleasure," Fitz said warmly. They heard the sound of tiny footsteps getting closer. Eleanor came around the corner with Brandon right on her tail. She saw William first and lit up with a big smile, bouncing up and down a little with excitement.

"Dada!" Eleanor exclaimed.

"Hi there, sweetheart!" William said, closing the gap in two big steps and scooping her up. "Oh, how I missed you!"

She giggled as he kissed her all over her face and squirmed in his arms.

"I see how it is. Such a Daddy's girl," Lizzie joked to Fitz. The sound of her voice caught Eleanor's attention and she turned her head. Her face brightened further and then she reached out for her, making grabby hands.

"Mama! Mama!" Eleanor shouted.

"Or she's saving the best for last," William quipped, handing Eleanor over to her.

"Hi, baby girl! I missed you!" Lizzie said, kissing her cheeks and pulling her in for a hug. Eleanor put her little arms around her neck and rested her head on her shoulder. Lizzie's eyes watered a bit, realizing just how much she missed her daughter and her hugs. Five days away didn't seem like long to her but it must have seemed like ages to a toddler. William reached out and rubbed her back.

"She's right where she wants to be," William said tenderly.

"Brandon, you want help with your things? Then we can get you out of here and back home," William suggested. Brandon nodded and flashed a smile to Fitz before William followed him down the stairs. Fitz beckoned Lizzie over to the living room so she could sit down. Eleanor was content in her arms so she didn't move.

"I hope she wasn't too much trouble," Lizzie said, caressing her daughter's back.

"She was great. Getting her to bed the first night was a little challenging but after that, we did pretty well. She slept through the night every night and ate really well. I may have lost a shirt to some applesauce and carrots though," Fitz chuckled.

"I'm sorry. She just loves to play with her food sometimes," Lizzie said, ruffling her hair. "Don't you, baby girl?"

"It gives us practice," Fitz said, with a hint of joy in his voice.

"I'm glad."

"Hey! I've got a great video of her. Brandon and I had a little dance party with her. She was hysterical trying to keep up," Fitz said, pulling out his phone. The sound of the music got Eleanor's attention and she turned around. Lizzie helped her out and propped her on her lap as they watched the video, Lizzie pointing her out and laughing at how cute the scene on the screen was. She could hear William and Brandon coming from up the stairs and was about to call for her husband when they heard shouting.

"WHAT? Really?!"

Lizzie and Fitz looked at each other in confusion and he stopped the video. They got up quickly from the couch and went to what the commotion was. Lizzie saw William giving Brandon a hug on the stairs and Brandon was laughing, his cheeks a bit pink.

"What's going on?" Fitz asked as the men pulled apart, climbing the rest of the stairs to the top.

"You're having a baby! That's what's going on!" William said, coming over to hug him. Lizzie feigned surprise and fed off of her husband's excitement.

"Congratulations!" Lizzie exclaimed, giving Brandon a one-armed hug.

"I let it slip by accident," Brandon said, rubbing the back of his neck. He lowered his voice so only Lizzie could hear him. "I know you know. Fitz can't keep a secret to save his life."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Lizzie said, playfulness in her eyes. "This is brand new information."

"I can't believe _you_ let it slip!" Fitz said, pointing at his partner. Brandon shrugged and smiled sheepishly. Fitz laughed and grabbed his hand, pulling him in for a kiss. He slid his arm around Brandon and faced Lizzie and William.

"It doesn't matter who said what. I'm thrilled for you guys!" William said. "I had this feeling. You hadn't told us anything in a while but I didn't want to assume."

"To be fair, you only found out two weeks before we intended to spill the beans," Fitz said. "We were going to announce it at Thanksgiving."

"Just don't let Gigi know that we knew before her," Lizzie said and Fitz nodded quickly.

"Let us treat you to dinner," Brandon suggested. "We'll pay."

"We couldn't possibly. You've done so much for us already," William started to decline.

"No, really. You've got to be tired from your drive," Fitz said. "And we can get whatever you feel like delivered!"

"Please? I've been dying to talk about this with you two. You're the ones who've been through it and we could use any and all advice," Brandon said. "And we've got an ultrasound!"

"Who can resist that? We'd love to," Lizzie said, glancing to William and then back to Brandon. "And we have plenty of advice."

* * *

The week of Thanksgiving was a busy time for the Darcys and the rest of the group. Lizzie, William, and Eleanor were going to New York City at the beginning of the week to stay with Jane and Bing. Mr. and Mrs. Bennet would be joining them the day before Thanksgiving while Lydia stayed behind. She was going to be spending the holiday with Adam's family for once, partially because they both had to work throughout the week. Fitz and Brandon were hosting their own Thanksgiving, inviting their families and friends. Gigi would be going and bringing Naveen, since it was his first Thanksgiving ever. Charlotte and Sam were going to Charlotte's parents for the day, especially since Maria and her fiancé would be there as well.

On Monday, Lizzie and William made their way to the airport with Eleanor in tow. They were both nervous about it being her first plane ride and weren't sure what to expect. Eleanor sat on Lizzie's lap and they did their best to keep their daughter entertained as the plane took off. Fortunately, it worked and she didn't burst into tears from the pressure change like they thought. She charmed an older couple sitting across the aisle and a young gentleman behind them and was entertained by them and her parents, along with a flight attendant who couldn't get enough of her giggles. She fell asleep a few hours into the flight and stayed asleep until they hit some turbulence, crying until Lizzie could soothe her. The only looks they got from fellow passengers were that of sympathy rather than annoyance. Even so, Lizzie and William both breathed sighs of relief when the plane landed.

Bing picked them up at the airport and took them back to the Lee house. The twins practically pounced on their aunt and uncle, excited to see them. Jane was close behind them, greeting them with her signature phrase and giving them big hugs. Once the Darcys settled in, everybody gathered in the dining room and had dinner. The rest of the night was spent catching up with the twins and hearing about their birthday, being treated to a little show-and-tell over their favorite gifts. Eleanor fell asleep on Jane and it made them all realize just how tired they felt. After putting her down, Lizzie and William called it a night as well.

Tuesday was a day of sight-seeing for the Lees and the Darcys. Everybody was allowed to pick one place to check out. William brought them to the top of the Empire State Building and Eleanor's eyes went wide as he held her close, showing her how high up they were. Lizzie chose the Children's Museum of Manhattan, Scarlett wanted to go to the Alice in Wonderland statue in Central Park, and Jane and Bing had a picnic set up at the New York Botanical Gardens. Charlie was insistent on going to the neighborhood library, which was a good way to wind down. He held onto Eleanor's hand and patiently led her through the children's section, telling her all about his favorite books even though she didn't understand. It had been a long and busy day but enjoyable and memorable.

Wednesday was reserved mostly for Thanksgiving food prep, with plans to have a relaxing day indoors. The weather cemented their plans by raining for much of the day. Eleanor warmed up to her cousins quickly and seemed content to follow them around. Lizzie and William took turns helping Jane and Bing in the kitchen, occasionally joining the kids in their playtime. They had a light dinner and then Bing picked up Mr. and Mrs. Bennet from the airport later in the evening. They returned just in time to say goodnight to Eleanor before Lizzie put her down for the night. The twins were put to bed shortly afterwards and Mr. and Mrs. Bennet retreated as well, feeling tired from their flight. Lizzie, William, Jane, and Bing stayed up for a while longer, watching a movie and unwinding. Lizzie fell asleep part way through the movie and William officially called it a night, quietly saying good night before carrying her off to bed.

The Lee household was already bustling in the wee hours of Thanksgiving morning. Jane and Lizzie were in the kitchen by five am, making breakfast to go for everybody else. Bing had set up a surprise for the twins and Eleanor to see the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. He had a friend who lived in an apartment with a balcony on the parade route who was happy to let them watch giant balloon characters pass them without having to worry about being jostled about in the big crowds. Mrs. Bennet and Jane chose to stay behind to work on Thanksgiving dinner, watching the parade from the television. The twins and Eleanor all went down for a nap when they returned. Lizzie helped in the kitchen and the men helped clean up the place and set the table. Once the kids were awake, everybody got ready and dressed up for the holiday. Lydia and Gigi both called before they sat down, wishing them all a happy holiday. The turkey was out of the oven and ready to be served just as Lydia said goodbye. Once every chair was filled, food was served, and dinner was under way. After the dishes were cleared and dessert had been served, _A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving_ was turned on. Having the family gathered around the television to continue with a much-loved Bennet tradition was the perfect way to end the day.

Friday had been a mixture of recovering from the heavy meal from the day before and some sightseeing. The weather was chilly but nice and the adults wanted to take advantage of it. They spent the morning in the park and had leftovers for lunch. In the afternoon they took a trip to see the Statue of Liberty. The twins had seen it from across the water but had never actually been so it was a treat for the whole family. On Saturday, Mr. and Mrs. Bennet flew home with the Darcy trio, making the flight back somewhat less stressful. Eleanor was thoroughly distracted because she had four different laps to sit on throughout the trip home and made it all the way back with no incidents. Even though they had had the last four days with Eleanor, Mr. and Mrs. Bennet couldn't quite say goodbye yet so William treated them to a late lunch before they parted ways. By the time Lizzie, William, and Eleanor made it back home, they were exhausted. It had been a busy week and they were looking forward to spending the rest of the weekend with just the three of them.

"One major holiday down," Lizzie said, joining William on the couch after she put Eleanor down for a nap. "Another one to go."

"I'm really looking forward to Christmas. We haven't been to the cabin since Eleanor was born and _everybody_ will be there," William said.

"Almost everybody," Lizzie noted. "Charlotte and Sam won't be there until after Christmas and Naveen is flying home."

"Okay. All of our family will be there for Christmas," William amended. "Happy now?"

"I'm happy always," Lizzie joked. William rolled his eyes and then kissed her temple.

"I really hope it snows. I want Eleanor to have a white Christmas," William said.

"I'm excited no matter what. She was so little last year and she's so aware now. She's big enough to play in the snow and she can help build snowmen," Lizzie said.

"Maybe not just yet," William mused. "I don't think she has the attention span for snowmen yet."

"You're probably right. She can at least get her first taste of hot chocolate and possibly help with opening her presents this time. We're still not going overboard on the presents, by the way."

"I know," William promised. "Not until she's older."

"Will!" Lizzie laughed, gently swatting his chest.

"Okay!" William conceded, holding a hand up in defeat. "I'll just spoil Fitz and Brandon's child."

"Because they won't be spoiled already," Lizzie said. "I'm still wrapping my head around the fact that they're actually having a baby. I'm so happy for them."

"Me too," William said, glancing at Lizzie. "You know, we haven't heard from Gigi since Thanksgiving. Do you think she's still bouncing off the walls over the news?"

"I wouldn't doubt it. Why don't we give her a call and see for ourselves?"

William grinned and pulled out his phone.

"This should be entertaining."

* * *

 _Note: Only one more chapter to go! Can you believe how far these characters have come since the beginning? Geez._

 _I'm going to be taking my time with the last chapter so I can't guarantee it in May. I think I know you guys well enough that you're not exactly in a hurry to let this one end anyway._

 _Don't forget to head on over to the TLC tumblr because I'll be sharing Lizzie's dress as well as where they stayed for William's birthday in the next couple days. Gotta love the little extras!_

 _See you at the end :)_


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